Possession
by LittleMewLugia
Summary: When Starscream captures Sam, he puts his mark upon Sam to claim him. However, is he Starscream's possession, or is that merely Sam's human perception of something entirely different? This is actually clean.
1. Chapter 1

Possession.

Summary: When Starscream captures Sam, he puts his mark upon Sam to claim him. However, is he Starscream's possession, or is that merely Sam's human perception of something entirely different?

Rating: T

Continuity: 07 Movieverse

Disclaimer: Transformers and all associated characters do not belong to me. I'd be a LOT richer if they did.

A/N: This does NOT contain slash. Much thanks is exposed to KDZeal for his help with ideas for this fic.

Possession.

Prologue.

"Ahh, Bee, this is nice." Sam said as he got out of his Autobot friend and closed the door. He felt sorry for Bumblebee, because although the spot was fairly remote, enough people drove past that the Autobot dared not change to robot form. All it would take was one highly-strung person to see him and alert other people to cause a general panic.

Bumblebee didn't seem to mind, however, sighing, his engine revving lazily as Sam put his hand on his hood. Running his engine was one of his ways of reassuring Sam that he was content. He didn't need to be a robot to enjoy the heat of the sun on his hide. Even if this was duty, waiting at the Lookout to alert the Base to the trajectory of the expected arrivals when night fell didn't man they could not relax while they waited for the sky to begin darkening as the sun set.

Afterwards, Bumblebee would wonder why they had grown so complacent, why they were both taken by surprise, although he would also realise that no amount of preparation could have stopped what was happening.

The first thing the two saw was a blur in the sky that suddenly grew to fill their vision. Before they could even react to this, Starscream landed by them with a thud, his feet sinking several inches into the ground from the impact of his landing. The Seeker's hand moved even as Sam's brain screamed at him to run, and another part of it wondered why he had not heard the Seeker's engines.

As he felt the hand scoop him up, Sam did hear engine sound, and it was then that he realised that he had not heard Starscream's approach because Starscream had been travelling at least at mach-1, and probably faster. He had merely out-flown the sound of his own passage.

As Starscream prised open the canopy on his stomach, Sam got a glimpse of Bumblebee, who was beginning to transform. As the hand holding him pushed him into the cockpit space below the canopy, Sam's view was cut off, He heard the canopy snick shut, and was about to stand and look out when Starscream, still in robot form, took off. The acceleration threw Sam into the footwell of the canopy, and then into the canopy shell itself as Starscream levelled out.

Sam caught a brief glimpse of Bumblebee through the clear canopy, the Autobot was halfway through his transformation, then Sam felt the acceleration pressure grow. His vision began to blur and then everything seemed to go red. As it got darker and darker, the scream of the Seeker's engines, which had been almost deafening in the confines of the cockpit, suddenly ceased.

It was as Sam moved from red-out to black-out that he realised Starscream was once again outflying his own engine sound. It was his last thought before the blackness claimed him.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Starscream felt the human go limp, and began to scan him, for it would not do any good for the little squishy to perish before he had been punished for his crimes. Not that Starscream himself resented Sam's killing of Megatron, for it had given him the leadership, but others did feel sore about that.

Starscream himself felt that Sam deserved to die for his destruction of the AllSpark, the fount of Cybertronian life. However it should not be a quick or easy death, and the human should be allowed to speak in his own defense, even if it would make no difference to his fate. Humans were more fragile than Cybertronians, and Starscream was aware of this. He would monitor Sam's life signs, and take whatever steps he deemed necessary to keep Sam alive long enough to face the accusations of himself and the others.

His life-signs seemed steady enough, Starscream observed, and he kept his scans running as he headed for the Decepticon base. It was a totally unexpected reading that seemed to appear from nowhere, emanating from the human, that made Starscream almost stall. He checked it again. There could be no doubt. This changed everything.

Starscream had already planned to remove Sam from his cockpit before he revived, he did not want to risk him regurgitating his stomach contents upon regaining consciousness, at least not while the human was still inside him, but now he wondered if he could use the unconsciousness to his advantage. If he were fast, perhaps he could do what must now be done before Sam came around.

It might, he mused as he landed, save the human from a certain amount of pain. The others would not like it, he knew, but he was the leader now, and that meant they would have to put up with it.

He landed and picked the limp human from his canopy as he strode to his big hangar. If he did it before anyone realised, they could not delay or try to stop him.

He took Sam's t-shirt off and lay Sam facedown on the floor, one hand carefully pinning his body down. His other hand folded away and a needle array quickly replaced it. Starscream briefly rearranged it, replacing the acid and paint nozzles with a different set of needles. They were finer, and there were less of them

Bending down to look closely, Starscream brought the array down, pressing it into the flesh of the oblivious human's upper arm.


	2. Chapter 2

Possession.

Chapter 1.

Sam groaned as he began to regain consciousness, and winced, tensing, as he felt a brief, stabbing pain in his arm. It was at that point that his memory of events and full awareness of his surroundings struck him. His eyes shot wide open as he vainly tried to push against the restraining hand that held him flattened to the ground, and he began to sweat, his skin becoming damp and slick.

"What-what? _Hey_!" he cried as he again felt that stabbing pain, again in his arm. He struggled again, but the weight on his body kept him pinned down. His legs flailed below he knee, but the hand on his upper body immobilised all but his head, which he thrashed from side to side.

"Stop struggling, little fleshling, I'm nearly done!" came Starscream's peeved-sounding voice from above him, as the weight on his back briefly increased for a few seconds. Sam got the message and froze, trying not to flinch at the repeated pain in his arm.

A few minutes later, the hand pinioning him was removed. As Sam lay there panting and recovering, Starscream curled the digits of the hand up except for one, and this one he used to nudge at Sam with the tip, trying to help him roll onto his back. Sam himself had other ideas, and shakily got up on to all fours. Resisting the urge to pick him up, Starscream watched the boy as he struggled slowly and shakily to his feet. As he saw Sam wobble, he quickly lay his knuckle-claws flat against the digit plating, and put two of his digits out within Sam's reach.

As Sam wobbled, his hands reached out for support, and found Starscream's fingers. He clung to them, supporting himself for a while as he regained his balance. Once he had done so he pushed away from the supporting digits, looking up at Starscream defiantly. Almost reluctantly, Starscream moved his hand back.

"Now what?" Sam asked. "I take it you've taken me for a reason?"

This time Starscream did reach down, and he picked Sam up, curling his fingers around him and raising him to hold him just in front of his face. The movement, although not vicious, was swift and a little rough.

"Originally, you were going to face us, all of the Decepticons who have come here so far, and explain your actions - or not, if that was your choice. Then we were to determine your punishment for killing Megatron and destroying the AllSpark. However, I have decided that this will not happen." Starscream paused, not wanting to reveal his reasons yet. Sam was still too spirited and arrogant for his liking. No, he decided, he needed to keep him guessing a little longer, he could keep him waiting for the reason.

As if reading the Seeker's mind, Sam's facial muscles shifted, an uncertain look crossing his face as he asked "Why? You must have a reason, so why?"

"Would you rather I allow my mechs to take out their anger at Megatron's demise and the loss of our method of reproduction upon your fragile form then, fleshling?" Starscream asked, tightening his grip slightly. "I can guarantee that it would not be pleasant, nor would it be likely to be swift, and you would be unlikely to survive the experience."

Sam gave a small cry and blanched, shaking his head quickly.

"No. he moaned. "Nonononono!" Starscream relaxed his hand a little again, allowing Sam to draw breath. He did not want the fragile organic to panic, just to have it made clear to him that he was not in charge here, and only lived at Starscream's whim. The Seeker spoke again to make this clear.

"Good. I, too, would prefer that you live a little longer."

The Seeker put Sam down, this time on a container that had been brought in as a surface. Sam wobbled but kept his balance. He shivered, the air in the big, almost empty hangar was a little cold against his bare skin, and as his exposed upper body began to goose-pimple, he rubbed his upper arms. As his left hand rubbed his right upper arm, he winced: the flesh was tender. Looking down at the arm, he spotted a bright mark almost covering the skin of the upper limb. He lifted his arm to get a better look at it.

A complicated red, angular shape dominated the tattoo that had been inked into the skin of his upper arm, and a curved line of glyphs arced around the sharp-edged design. In the middle was a small but clear Decepticon logo, the deep purple ink that had been used standing out sharply against the bright red dye around it.

"Hey, hey, hey, what's all this shit?" Sam cried in shock and anger.

"That, Sam is my clan-mark and my name," Starscream replied. "As my name is unusual but not unique, especially amongst the Seeker-clans, the Decepticon logo is there to clarify that the Starscream who has marked you is Decepticon Leader Starscream, as opposed to any other bearing the same name who may exist." Starscream gestured towards Sam with one hand, fingers spread, knuckle-claws fully flared. "You bear my mark, Sam, I have laid my claim on you. Now, Sam, I have claimed you, you are _mine_." He pointed to himself with a finger, then pointed at Sam. "You belong to me now," he stated calmly.

Starscream did not appear to notice the paling of Sam's skin, nor the abrupt way he sat down on top of the crate as he turned to retrieve Sam's t-shirt. Sam continued to stare at the inked design, looking away only when his t-shirt, flicked at him by Starscream, hit him on the head and hung over his eyes.

Sam pulled on the t-shirt, his mind whirling. Starscream had already plainly stated that Sam was only being spared from being punished and killed for what he did in Mission City because Starscream, for his own unexplained reason, had chosen to allow Sam to live. Starscream had also marked Sam with his name and symbol, and stated that Sam belonged to him. The combination of these facts told Sam his position: he was Starscream's slave, or maybe his pet.

Sam's natural reaction would have been to protest loudly, but as Starscream had already warned Sam he lived only because the Seeker wished it, Sam was disinclined to protest. The privilege could very easily be revoked, and Sam did not wish to find out the hard way if the new Decepticon leader's temper was easy to rouse. So he held his tongue but promised himself that if an opportunity to escape presented itself, he would take it.

"Sam, as you will be living amongst us, there are certain mannerisms and courtesies you should learn." Starscream's voice broke into Sam's thoughts. "Although the mechs will always despise you as a squishy, they may respect you a little if you are at least a squishy who knows his manners and shows respect with the right gestures. For a few hours at a time each day, you will learn from me everything from the respect-bow from non-Seeker to Seeker right through to the greatest show of disrespect a mech can give." He paused. "Although I would advise you not to use it, the usual response would be a challenge to a death-duel." Starscream nodded his head briefly. "However, you should know it so you can recognise it if you see it."

"Okay." Sam said slowly, willing to take free advice but determined not to give more than he was asked for. If Starscream wanted Sam to call him 'sir' or 'master', he would have to tell Sam so, he wasn't going to go further than he needed to with this. He may be a slave, but he didn't have to like it, or completely capitulate without any pressure by behaviour or manner. He still had some pride.

"First, however, I need to know if you have any other basic needs beyond food, water and a sleeping place," the Seeker stated.

Sam was tempted to state that his freedom was a basic need, but thought that might be pushing it, and he wanted to stay on Starscream's good side, at least for now. Common sense suggested that _not_ pissing off the Decepticon leader gave him a greater chance of a longer lifespan.

"More clothing, or I'll start to smell. A method of bathing for the same reason. A razor. Bedding. Deodorant, and oh yes, somewhere to dispose of my - um- digestive wastes." Sam stated. Starscream pulled a face.

"Very well, if only to avoid the smells that will result otherwise, I will pass on your needs to our medic." Starscream said. "Dr Syn should be able to devise the best way to stop you smelling worse than you already do. Barricade can get some of the items you requested, he's always talking about how his police disguise can get him what he needs, let's see how far that gets him with _your _needs." Starscream seemed to find that amusing, for a chuckle escaped his vocaliser. Then he turned to Sam.

"However, first, we may as well start your lessons now. To start with, I shall teach you the equals bow, of one high-ranking person to another…"


	3. Chapter 3

Possession.

Chapter Two.

A/N: Dr Syn is the character of and is used with the kind permission of user MeowthTwo.

Ten Days Later.

Autobot Base.

"How can they just completely disappear?" Bumblebee asked for what must have been the twentieth time that week as he hit his helm with his hands in distress.

Optimus watched the little scout with concern. Despite being reassured that under the circumstances there was nothing he could have done except what he had, the young Autobot still blamed himself.

"I should have fired at Starscream, or been able to protect Sam in some way. I'm supposed to be his guardian, and I failed in that duty," he had told Optimus when he had first reported the incident.

"You were in your disguise mode, so there was little you could do. He was travelling faster than his own engine speed, so you had no warning. He was holding Sam, to fire at Starscream could have harmed the one you were trying to protect even if you'd had the time," Optimus had pointed out. Bumblebee had accepted that, but still felt that there should have been something he could have done.

The one reassurance they had was what Barricade had been seen obtaining and transporting. On several occasions the police cruiser Decepticon had been seen to take items such as human food, clothing bedding and toiletries to their Base. This suggested that the Decepticons had a human that they wished to keep alive and relatively well. Ratchet had swung by their Base and scanned, but picked up no human life-signs.

This at first caused concern, but they soon came to the conclusion that Sam was being kept in a different location. Many of the goods, such as deodorant ,would be of no use to the Decepticons unless they had a human guest, which seemed to indicate that their known Base was merely an intermediate stop for the goods. These were presumably moved to where Sam was being held later on: the Autobots were now taking shifts to watch the Decepticon Base.

The hope was that when some of the human-specific goods were transported, someone could follow the bearer to where they thought Sam was being held. As there were few ways they could tell if such items were in the trunk or the back of the vehicles, this meant putting a tail on each and every Decepticon who exited the Base. This was time-consuming and so far fruitless, but they hoped they would soon hit pay dirt.

Decepticon Second Base.

Although Sam had not entirely given up thoughts of escape, even after over a week of captivity, he had almost given up on thoughts of rescue. Starscream had informed Sam that shortly before his abduction they had been moving to a new Base, one that was better hidden and that, to their knowledge, was not known to the Autobots. A few of the other Decepticons were still manning the original Base, to give the impression that it was still their main site, but in fact the Seekers, Barricade, Soundwave and their medic had permanently moved to their current location.

Sam had been a quick study, Starscream had discovered. He had picked up the courtesy actions quite fast, and was now learning the written Decepticon language faster than Starscream had anticipated. Sam, for his part, had actually found his lessons quite enjoyable.

He was beginning to think that he was more a pet than a slave, for although Starscream had taught Sam how to polish his wings, feet and back, and clean his joint surfaces, Sam had been excused doing so twice when he had mentioned that he was tired. He had no duties as such except attending his lessons and the polishing, although that seemed to be more of a request than a demand.

It turned out that Sam had hands that were small and dexterous enough to get to parts of the Seeker's joints and under his plating that Starscream could not get to himself. More than once Sam had removed a pebble or a piece of grit that was trapped in the joint and giving Starscream trouble. The sigh of relief that sometimes resulted was itself enough to make Sam feel it was worth it, but sometimes Starscream rewarded him for his efforts.

A common reward was for Starscream to send out for hot food that Sam did not need to prepare for himself. This had been an every-meal occurrence during the first two days, but once a fridge, some battered tins and utensils, and a small electric portable two-hob cooker had been brought in from somewhere, Sam would either have to cook himself something out of a tin or packet, or, as he more often chose, to eat a pasty or the contents of the tins cold. When he needed to wash up, the medic would provide hot soapy water, which Sam gave back to him to dispose of. After three days of eating cold beans and spam, a burger, pizza, or Chinese takeaway meal was a welcome change.

Less often, but no less welcome, would be a short flight in Starscream's alt-mode. Sam would have to don a bulky suit and helmet, more for disguise purposes than anything else, as Starscream tended to obtain fuel by slightly altering his markings on these flights. Although he sweated and was generally not too comfortable in the bulky flight suit, Sam did not protest, for the benefit of getting out of the Base, albeit for a short time, outweighed the discomfort.

It was, Sam reflected, as he twisted to reach an awkward place under Starscream's left thigh plate, a wonder how Starscream managed to get grit in these places in the first place. At first he had begun to suspect deliberate placement for the attentions he could gain from his squishy pet, but then he considered when he had been on the beach when he had been younger how sand got in the most awkward places despite the family's best efforts. It could well be, Sam decided, that the grit and stones Starscream got trapped were like sand to humans.

There! He could see the grit that was troubling the Seeker and winced. It looked sharp, and was trapped between a wire and the plating. He managed to pick at it until it loosened, something that must have hurt the Seeker for he heard Starscream give a couple of small yelps. As he caught the piece of grit in his hand and wriggled out, he heard the now-familiar sigh of relief, and idly wondered how Starscream had coped before he'd caught Sam and got him to perform this service.

"Thank you, Sam, that feels much better," Starscream told him as he caught the human in his hand and sat up, raising Sam on his palm until he was level with Starscream's faceplates. "I am so lucky to have someone small enough to do this." He used one finger to stroke Sam's back gently, something Sam found a bit uncomfortable but which he tolerated. After all, humans liked to stroke their pets, why should Cybertronians be any different? Sam supposed he should be grateful that he was not expected to wear a collar, although the ownership-tattoo was bad enough.

"You're welcome." he told Starscream, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice for despite all the little treats and rewards, he still missed his friends and family, he was still Starscream's prisoner and possession, and he was still uncomfortable about it.

Despite Sam's attempts, something about his voice must have registered with the Seeker for he immediately followed up Sam's comment with "What's wrong, Sam?"

"Nothing," Sam said.

The finger stroking his back was removed and then returned to push Sam's chin up and turn his face to look at Starscream. The gesture was both forceful but gentle, and Sam was reminded of how his mother had done something similar if he looked down when speaking to her. The memory was abruptly painful, and Sam wondered if he'd ever see her or his father, or Mikaela or Bumblebee again, and was suddenly overcome by a urge to cry.

He fought back the urge but two fat tears had already formed and ran down his cheeks. Angrily he tried to wipe them away, but Starscream had spotted the incriminating drops.

"Is the roof leaking?" he asked as he looked away from Sam for a moment to the roof of the hangar, then at the small window, through which the blazing sun and a blue sky could be seen, and then back to Sam's face.

"Your eyes!" he cried in alarm. "You're leaking! Wait here, I've called Dr Syn."

"N-no, I'm not ill!" Sam rushed to assure the alarmed Seeker. Starscream's optics flickered briefly in a way Sam had learned to mean he was either sending or receiving internal communications before he focused on Sam again.

"Yes, Dr Syn has informed me that humans regularly leak from their eyes. There are a few illnesses that can cause this, hay fever and some snake venoms, for example, can cause watering eyes." He brought Sam closer to his face and looked at him intently.

"However, I am informed that the most common reason is that it is an emotional response to pain, distress, or unhappiness. Sam, what is wrong? Please tell me."

Sam was tempted to ask where he should start, but chose instead to tell Starscream a half-truth, one he hoped the Decepticon would understand but would not run the risk of making him angry.

"I'm worried about my parents and Mikaela." he told the Seeker. "They don't know where I am or whether I'm even still alive. I'm worried that they're worrying about me, and about how they might be feeling."

Starscream nodded at Sam. "I can understand that and I sympathise. Would it help if you could send them a message of some kind to let them know you're alive?" He went quiet as he set Sam down.

"You'd let me?" Sam asked.

"Yes, I see no harm in it, in fact I wouldn't even have to read it so you could write whatever you wanted. I don't think you have a clue where you are, so I don't think there's much you could put in the letter that could lead the Autobots to us."

"Uh, no, - and I wouldn't anyway." Sam hastened to say. Starscream's optic shutters flickered in a gesture, Sam wasn't sure whether it was surprise or amusement.

"Really?" the Seeker asked. "I am surprised to hear you say that, for if I were in your situation, the thought would at least be tempting. However it's academic: I cannot think of any way you could be aware of your location. You have pens and paper, and Barricade has diverted to get a camera and one of today's newspapers."

"A camera? One of today's newspapers?" Sam repeated in confusion.

"We can get a picture of you with the paper, it proves that you are still alive and well on or after the date the paper was printed, and when the picture was taken," Starscream explained. "I found it as part of a story plot on the Internet." Sam could not help a small chuckle at the thought of Starscream reading cheap crime novels, or even fan-fiction, on the Internet.

Starscream's optics flickered again, drawing Sam's attention. "Thundercracker is setting off to meet Barricade at an open area. Barricade cannot bring the items directly here, it seems he has an Autobot tailing him. Barricade can keep the Autobot occupied while Thundercracker brings the items here."

"Bee?" Sam queried worriedly. Sam had seen how Barricade fought, images of Bumblebee being flung across a breaker's yard flashed vividly to mind.

"Oh no, it's not your scout friend, it's an Autobot of my acquaintance called Sideswipe. He and his brother have been thorns in my side for a long time. I think Sideswipe and Barricade are fairly evenly matched, if I know that silver menace, he will give as good as he gets and both should survive to fight another day." The Seeker chuckled. "It will, however, keep the Autobot from watching where Thundercracker heads for." He looked at Sam.

"Go have a rest and a wash, Sam, and practice your Decepticon letter-forms. Later I'll send out for something for you to eat. What would you like?"

"How about some fried chicken and fries?" Sam asked. "And a bottle of soda?"

"I'll send out one of the others to pick it up later." Starscream assured the human, watching the boy walk behind the partition that gave him limited privacy in his corner of the hangar.

Sam, for his part, was wondering if the chances of being rescued were, after all, as slim as he had at first been thinking.


	4. Chapter 4

Possession.

Chapter Three.

A/N: The chicken-wing situation at the end of this chapter was something writer MeowthTwo and I worked on together.

When Thundercracker got back, Sam had, as requested, scrubbed himself, changed his clothes, and begun practicing his Decepticon letters using one of the ten pads of flip chart paper he had been provided with. He was halfway down the first page when Starscream called him through.

"Here. Pick up the paper, we won't use the camera, it's too fiddly, we'll send the image on a memory chip." Starscream told Sam. Nodding, Sam picked up the paper, front page in front of him, and then Barricade, who had returned a few minutes before, leaned in, closer than Sam was comfortable with, to tell the truth. Blue beams leaped out of the frontliner's optics, and ran up and down him. Then, they just as abruptly stopped.

"Okay, Sam, may I suggest you write your letter?" Starscream suggested. "Also, why not practice your learning of our written word and write it in Standard Decepticon?" Sam pulled a face at the thought of his parent's and Mikaela's reactions to a letter full of what they would see as gobbledegook. Starscream must have seen the face he pulled and divined the reason for it somehow, for he said "It will be given to an Autobot, they can translate it for those members of your family who do not read our language."

'_Which equals, with the exception of myself, all of them,'_ Sam thought but did not say, instead bowing to Starscream (as non-Seeker-to Seeker, as he had been taught) before leaving to do as the Seeker had suggested. This was one order or suggestion he did not resent - his Autobot friends and family could be assured of his safety.

The problem Sam encountered, when it came to writing the letter, was not knowing some words. He eventually ended up writing it in large letters on the flip-pad paper whilst close enough to either Starscream or Barricade to ask them what "safe" or "well-treated" was in their written language. Starscream or Barricade took a marker and drew each word-form on a separate flip-pad page, and Sam carefully copied the word, keeping the flip pages to memorise for later.

By the time he had finished he had composed a letter stating that he was safe and healthy, being well-treated, and asking them not to worry about him too much.

He folded it into four, scribed a name on the front, and handed it to Starscream, who, to Sam's surprise did as he had promised by not opening it to read it. Instead he handed it to Barricade, who was removing a chip from a slot in his neck, and said "Find an Autobot and give this to them. Tell them it's from Sam, that should get their co-operation. Then stop off at somewhere you can get something the boy calls 'fried chicken' and some soda drink for him."

To Sam's surprise, the frontliner didn't seem to take umbrage at being asked to perform such a seemingly menial task, but left without a word, without even appearing to sulk.

Starscream crouched and Sam recognised the shuttering of the Seeker's optics that meant he was taking the Cybertronian equivalent of a nap. As there was little Sam could do till Barricade returned, he went back to his area of the room to memorise the new words. If he ever got a chance to write another letter to his friends and family, he would have more words available.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Barricade drove towards the location of the Autobot base in a leisurely fashion, taking plenty of long-cuts and diversions until he was well away from their secondary base. As far as he was aware, he did not have any Autobots on his tail this time, but if he did, well, let them wonder why he was driving in a seemingly aimless fashion.

Upon reaching the Autobot base he drove almost right up to the gates to make sure he got someone's attention. When Ironhide challenged him, threatening to blow him to atoms unless he either left or stated his business, Barricade unfolded into his bipedal form and held out the note and chip so that anyone watching could see them.

"Well, what an unfriendly greeting to the bearer of good news," he said. "Your squishy mascot, contrary to what you probably think, is safe and well, and I bear a note from him and visual proof of his wellbeing." He crouched and put the note and chip on the ground, weighing the paper down with a stone, and was about to turn and leave when he had an idea.

"As I said, Sam is safe and well." he said again. "However, that could change if I am followed, as I was earlier. The beating I gave that Autobot was merely a warning. Sam is far less resilient than your silver comrade. If I am not followed, he will likely remain unharmed. I cannot guarantee that he will stay that way if I find I am being followed." The frontliner paused, then spoke again. "If you still plan to follow me, be aware that my sensors will be on at full capacity, and you had better be very sure that I won't spot you, for Sam's health, and possibly his life, will depend upon it."

Having likely deterred any would-be tails, Barricade folded back into alt and zoomed off.

'_Now,' _he wondered, _'where is the nearest fried chicken restaurant?'_

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Once the Decepticon frontliner had left, Ironhide lowered the force-field and opened the gate to go and fetch the note. Optimus had given the order to all patrolling Autobots immediately after Barricade's departure that should they spot the Police-cruiser 'Con, under no circumstances was he to be followed.

"Bumblebee?" Ironhide said as he walked into the main control room. waving the note. "Meh Decepticon's not so good but I think this is for you."

Bumblebee took the note and chip, and looked at Optimus questioningly. Optimus nodded, and Bumblebee walked over and inserted the chip into the main computer. As he waited for the computer to access and project the image it said the chip contained, he looked at the note. Sure enough, there was his name in Standard Decepticon on one side.

He carefully opened it and squinted at the writing inside, as on the computer screen a picture of Sam, holding a paper, appeared. Sam looked a little nervous, but aside from that he seemed well enough.

"Computer, zoom in on the date, just under the paper name on the right as it appears on the photo," Optimus ordered. The computer obediently did so, until everybody present could tell that the paper was dated for that day.

"What does the note say, Bumblebee?" Optimus asked.

"It's from Sam. He says he's unharmed and being treated well, and that we should not be too worried. He sends his regards, his love to his parents and Mikaela, and has signed his name. All in Standard Decepticon."

"Why would he be doin' that?" Ironhide asked.

"I don't know, but he's still got a long way to go before being fluent." Bumblebee said, turning the paper towards the others. "His tenses are messed up, his punctuation nonexistent, and his grammar is just awful." He paused. "But none of that matters. That picture proves that he's alive and well.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Sam heard Barricade come in, and got up and went through. To Sam's surprise, the black and white Decepticon put down a family-sized bucket in front of him, although in Barricade's big fingers it looked more like a paper cup. Two bottles of soda followed.

"I didn't know what sort of chicken you wanted, Sam, so I got that, there's something from everything in there. Battered breast, drumsticks, chicken burgers, nuggets, fajita wraps, whatever one of those is, and oh yes, something described as 'hot and spicy wings.'"

Sam noticed Barricade turn to look at Starscream as he said this and followed the frontliner's gaze. He was in time to see Starscream's own wings twitch as the Decepticon Leader shuttered his optics with a grimace. That was when Sam realised that Barricade's phrasing had been quite deliberate, the grounder was having a laugh at the Seeker's expense. Sam rushed to clarify things.

"They're chicken wings, fried and coated with a spicy sauce. Look." Sam said, unearthing one and holding it up. The Seeker looked and shuddered.

"You actually eat some poor flying creature's _wings_?" he asked.

"Well, the animal is killed for its meat anyway, so they're a by-product." Sam explained. "Chicken wings used to be discarded, but it's a case of "waste not, want not I guess. Anyway, they are vestigial and non-functional, chickens don't actually fly, but there's a mouthful or two of meat on a wing, so they're sold as snack food." Sam bit into one hungrily, and was surprised to see Starscream wince and turn away.

"Do you _have_ to eat them in front of me?" he asked plaintively. "You're making my own wings itch."

"Oops, sorry." Sam said, honestly contrite. He hadn't realised that such a thing might bother the big Seeker. Ignoring Barricade's amused grin, Sam picked the family bucket up in one arm and grabbed one of the sodas in the other.

"I'll see you two once I've eaten." he said, giving the two their respective bows. Then he retreated to his own part of the room to consume the bucket's contents. He was a little surprised at how squeamish a mech could be even about the wings of organic creatures being taken from their owners for consumption.

As he did so, he made a mental note to remember that if he asked for fried chicken, to specify thighs or breast or nuggets or burgers, but absolutely no wings.

Sam stopped himself mid-chew as he realised that against all logic, he was starting to care about Starsceam.


	5. Chapter 5

Possession.

Chapter Four.

A/N: 1 joor is about six human hours.

There was little change in the next week or so, except that Barricade, now he had found something to make Starscream squirm, took every opportunity he got to ask Sam if he wanted any more spicy wings. Sam tried his best to head Barricade off on these occasions, fearful that Barricade's needling might lead to a cessation of the takeaway-meal rewards. Luckily, it seemed Starscream himself worked out a solution, although it was in the short-term at best. He told Sam to give Barricade his food orders only once he himself had exited the room.

Sam's written Decepticon was coming on well: he picked up new words faster, and could now read the written language in a basic form. He was now struggling to understand tenses and context, and preceding letter-forms that could change the meaning of a word entirely. This kept most of his attention focused on something else other than his captive state, and Sam found himself missing his familiar Autobot friends and family a little less each day.

This didn't mean he did not think of them at all: on the contrary, when he did have time and occasion to remember and miss them, he felt their absence more keenly. He wondered how Bumblebee was doing, how his mom and dad were coping, whether Mikaela was still searching for him or had given up and gone looking for someone else. At times like this, if he was alone, he would dash away the tears that came to his eyes and find something else to concentrate on.

When Sam was requested by Starscream to come out and polish him, or de-grit one of his joints, Sam often found himself the recipient of anecdotes about life on Cybertron. Sam had noticed that few of them seemed to be combat stories, many seemed to feature Cybertronian holidays, or were stories about things that had happened while the Seeker was at the Flying and Science Academy, an institution, Starscream had told Sam, that required excellent processor speed and skills to gain entry to.

Some of the stories, Sam was sure, could not have occurred in a war setting. He had heard Optimus talk about how the Autobot-Decepticon conflict was long, even by Cybertronian standards, and had begun to think that all current combatants had been Sparked after the war had started. Hearing Starscream's stories, he was beginning to wonder if that assumption was wrong.

He was polishing Starscream's back and wings, as the other lay on a hammock made for the purpose, the main fabric sling created by Sam using Army blankets, a thick needle, and strong Army wool. As he spread the polish on and began to buff it off, he decided to ask Starscream about his stories.

"Starscream, some of those tales of Cybertron you tell me about sound like they happened on a planet that was not at war with itself. Am I mistaken, or are you talking about a pre-war time?" he asked.

"Why, yes, Sam, many of my tales are from the period we called the 'Golden Age' of Cybertron," Starscream told him.

"Golden Age? What was that?" Sam asked. "Tell me more about this 'Golden Age, please?'"

Starscream paused, and at first Sam was worried that Starscream was in one of his tight-lipped moods and would not tell him, but then the Seeker began to speak.

"The 'Golden Age' of Cybertron was, as the name suggests, a time of peace and happiness and prosperity for almost all on Cybertron," Starscream explained. "Energy was plentiful, there had been no conflicts for a long time, for all types had been united into one great whole. In the dark times before this, Seekers would fight ground types and ground types warred against water-born forms simply because they were different. For a different reason, mechs would attack and destroy the femmes, merely because they could bear sparklings, which offended many."

"Why?" Sam asked, nonplussed.

"Because many felt that the femme's ability to bear and bring forth life was…" Starscream paused, searching for an appropriate word which he soon found. "Blasphemous," he stated. "Many mechs and even a few femmes felt that producing sparklings by spark-merge instead of going to the AllSpark was blasphemous, wrong, a snub to Primus - the deity many believe sent the Cube." The Seeker sighed before continuing.

"At first it was just femmes who had defied that belief and produced their own offspring who were targeted, and at first they were attacked and damaged but not killed." As Sam finished polishing the wings, he stepped aside on to the side, as Starscream managed to twist on to his back, so Sam could polish his front, but he did not stop speaking. "Then things escalated to the killing of those they felt had blasphemed, and then one day a group rose to popularity, a group that stated that as all femmes had the capability to reproduce, their very existence was a heresy against the Cube."

"That's stupid! Why would the Cube create femmes if they were not meant to be?" Sam cried as he stepped back up.

"Indeed, or why would it make all femmes able to create if it were wrong?" Starscream agreed. "A question the members of this group saw fit to ignore. What followed was the greatest slaughter of femmes in our planet's history. Any femme who could got herself transferred into a mech body or hid out somewhere remote, at least until the questions we just asked began to surface again and again, and the killings subsided and stopped. However, I digress, those happened before the Golden Age."

He sighed and stretched as Sam smeared polish over the plating on his front, half-shuttering his optics in obvious pleasure.

"In the Golden Age, Sam, not everybody was happy, because that is impossible, to please everyone at the same time, but the majority were happy. Energon was plentiful, work was also plentiful, most people were living comfortably, and it was a time when sparkling-rearing was possible, for everything was safe and secure. The Festivals were held and the streets were mainly safe, at lest in the main cities such as Iacon. Even the anarchistic and unconventional had a place to go, a city named Kaon, which was also the birthplace of the Decepticons, but that is another story entirely."

"Sparklings?" Sam queried. "Those would be babies, right?"

"Young Cybertronians, Sam, usually AllSpark sparked but occasionally femmesparked. Yes, the Golden Age was a good time to rear, especially at the beginning, but not so much at the end just before the war." Starscream's voice went flat and dull unlike any other time Sam had heard the Seeker speak. "When the war started, many sparklings and youngsters died, as usual, the first innocent casualties of war."

Sam knelt to put his hand on Starscream's plating in what he hoped was a comforting gesture, resting his hand on it.

"Wouldn't you like things to return that way? If you and the Autobots made peace, you could at least not have to worry so much about being killed…" He tailed off as he recalled that due to his actions, there was no AllSpark, no way to make sparklings.

"Isn't there a chance you might be able to go out and find some femmes, and begin rearing sparklings?" he asked quietly.

"I myself would love to return to the Golden Age, to rear a sparkling or two, but it is not only my choice, Sam. There are the rest of the mechs to consider, unless they - and here this means both Autobots_ and_ Decepticons - are also willing to stop fighting, trying to raise a sparkling is too risky." His voice took on a pained sound. "I have seen too many dead sparklings to risk it while the fighting still continues."

Sam patted Starscream's plating again, feeling somewhat awkward.

"I-I think the Autobots would be willing as long as the Decepticons are, I mean I can tell Optimus and the others." He paused, recalling his situation. "Well, that is, I could if I wasn't being held here as your slave."

The silence that fell after that statement was so replete with tension that Sam immediately regretted his words. He honestly hadn't meant to sound so angry and confrontational, but the words were said now, and could not be unsaid.

He felt Starscream's hand take hold of him as Starscream sat up and then stood, getting out of the hammock. Sam shivered a little as he was raised to Starscream's optic level, the Seeker regarding him for a few moments before saying "Sam, what makes you think that you're my _slave?"_

"Um…well, I'm not allowed to leave, am I, and you have me polishing you and de-gritting your joints and talking to you when you have spare time," Sam stated, deciding that he didn't have time to concoct any other sort of response. He reached round to point at the tattoo, bared as Sam was wearing a vest top. "You've put your mark on me, you said yourself that I belong to you. In human society, that would be defined as slavery."

"In human society, yes, even though humans talk about 'having' a boy or girlfriend, refer to them as 'my' girl or boyfriend, as if they indeed belong to their partner. Humans are very confusing. The clan mark is - no, there is another way," the Seeker said, heading out of the hangar and moving towards another building.

"I think it is time you met my mechs, Sam, you and they can have a little talk. I'm sure you will understand better by the time I return."

Opening the door of the building he put his head and the arm holding Sam inside. Barricade and four other mechs stood inside, all looking up as Starscream put Sam on the floor and let go of him. Sam staggered to get his balance as Starscream spoke.

"This is the human boy I took some weeks ago. I wish to fly with my wingbrothers for a while. He is your responsibility for that time. I will return within half a joor." Before Sam could say anything, Starscream had backed out and closed the door firmly.

"Isn't that the squishy creature we were told killed Megatron by putting the AllSpark in his Spark?" one of the mechs, a bluish purple one with a single optic queried.

"I believe it is," stated a smaller red mono-optic mech. "Well well well, we have been a long time waiting for this moment, fleshling." The mech took a step closer. "I think it's time you paid for the crimes you committed."

As the red mech took another step forward, and reached out a hand, Sam began to back off, wondering just how - and if - he would survive this.


	6. Chapter 6

Possession.

Chapter Five.

A/N: Dr Syn is the intellectual property of MeowthTwo on this site, and is used in this story with her kind permission.

As Sam tensed and glanced to either side, trying to figure out which way to run, another mech spoke, this one medium-brown in colour and larger than the red one.

"If you want to continue to live, Swindle, you'll back off right now." The mech sounded serious, if somewhat amused. "That one bears Starscream's mark. If you harm him, when Starscream gets back he'll rip you into so many pieces that even I may not be able to put you back together."

The red mech's optic shuttered once, and he managed to grab and lift Sam, who cried out and struggled, even as he realised the red mech was holding him with far more gentleness than he had expected. Instead of attacking him, the mech turned him, brought his optic close to the tattoo on Sam's arm, jerked back in surprise and put him just as carefully back on the floor. He them backed off, giving Sam, to his surprise, a shallow respect-bow.

"You're right, Dr Syn, this human has been marked as one of Starscream's own. Why would he honour a squishy so?"

"I would surmise that that is Starscream's own business," Barricade said. "Perhaps when he comes back you can ask him. Until then, he is our responsibility. We must keep him safe and unharmed until Starscream comes back." The frontliner himself gave Sam a shallow bow before asking "Is there anything you require, Sam, perhaps some chicken wings?" He turned his head to give the human a shutter-wink, and Sam could not help but smile weakly back.

"I guess it's safe to now. Yes please." he replied, surprised at the reaction of the mechs but certainly not complaining about it.

Barricade nodded before folding down into alt and driving out, the door opening and then shutting behind him. Sam briefly wondered if he himself could exit, if the door would open at his approach, but decided not to find out. He seemed safe enough where he was, and he had to admit he was curious at the sudden deference of the Decepticons in the room. Then he recalled his manners and looked up at them before giving his own respect bow back.

This itself caused much optic shuttering and the mechs looked at each other, blinking in obvious surprise before the red mech stepped forwards and bowed again.

"Polite, too, it seems," he said. "I am Swindle. Your name is Sam?"

"Uhh…yeah." Sam said, wondering where this was going. The red mech said no more but stepped back as the blue mech stepped forwards.

"I'm Payload," he stated, bowing and stepping back. Then it was the largest mech's turn, a big grey and white patterned mech who otherwise bore a disturbing resemblance to Brawl.

"I'm Wreckage." he stated, his voice more melodious than Sam would have thought for such a bulky mech. As Wreckage bowed, Sam cowered back slightly, fearful that this one might overbalance and crush him accidentally. However, the mech obviously had better balance than his top-heavy appearance suggested: he straightened up and stepped back, his small red optics still watching the human.

This left the brown mech who had warned Swindle off, who stepped forward and crouched to look at Sam with a small smile on his face.

"My name is Dr Syn. If you feel unwell or begin to get sick, you must tell Starscream to call me. As he has marked you as kin, he would have my servos for scrap-metal if you come to harm due to ill health. I'm the medic here, and I have been studying human needs and illnesses since I found out he had a human staying." He then straightened and gave a bow before stepping back to join the others.

"Kin? He's marked me as kin?" Sam repeated. It was the last interpretation he would have thought to assign to the mark. The medic nodded.

"Yes. Cybertronian families work somewhat differently to those of humans, due to what used to be our main method of reproduction. AllSpark granted sparklings were recorded, and they were regarded as offspring much as those of humans, even though the Spark is not generated by the Sparks of the two Creators. However, that is not the only method by which Cybertronians gain family."

"You mean he's kind of adopted me, as if I'm a child?" Sam asked incredulously.

"There is no exact human term for it and it is not quite adoption, nor is it marriage, although one of the closest human terms might be as an 'in-law.'" the medic explained. "He's more taken you as a younger brother or nephew, although it's a lot more complicated than that, he being a Seeker." He gave Sam a devilish grin. "You are counted not just as Starscream's clanmech, but as an honourary Seeker, and as an honourary Seeker, all other Seekers will afford you a fair amount of respect. Technically, Sam, you rank everybody in this room, at least in the optics of Starscream and his trine."

Sam heard the unspoken warning about not pushing his luck where his rank were concerned with non-Seekers, but was more concerned with one thing.

"But - as far as I knew, he counted me as an enemy, he's tried to kill me at least twice and threatened it when he first brought me here. So why would he count me as kin?"

"Exactly what I asked." grumbled Swindle.

"My answer to Sam will be the same, Swindle: Sam will have to ask Starscream himself why, because only he knows what's going on in his processors." The medic gave a theatrical sigh. "Every time someone thinks they've figured that mercurial Seeker out, myself included, he pulls an unexpected stunt on us. Sometimes I think he does it to keep us guessing."

At that point the door opened and Barricade swung in. He popped open his passenger door and said "Okay, Sam, here's your food."

Sam went over and removed the bag of fried chicken - which contained breast and leg portions as well as wings - and sat down to eat it as Barricade transformed back to his bipedal form. He was surprised when Barricade offered a cupped hand and said "This might be a more comfortable place to sit."

In light of what the medic had told Sam, he couldn't have said whether Barricade's attempts to be friendly and helpful were a genuine respect for his new status, or whether Barricade was being a suck-up, but Sam wasn't about to either ask or refuse. Instead, he stood, made a gesture of respect and thanks with his hand, and sat in the proffered palm.

Barricade's metal hide wasn't as cold or as hard as it looked, but Sam wasn't that surprised, for he had experience of Bumblebee's hands, and they were similar, though Sam was careful to drape his feet between the long claws on Barricade's finger tips, and equally careful to catch crumbs as he ate. When he had finished, he was also careful to wipe the grease from the chicken off his hands before asking Barricade to let him down and pushing himself to a standing position. These mechs were treating him with respect for the status Starscream had conferred on him with his mark, the least Sam felt he could do was to return the favour.

One of the mechs - the one who had introduced himself as Payload - inched forwards and bowed to Sam.

"May ask a favour?" he asked. Sam eyed him warily.

"What?" he asked.

"I - I've never been this close to a human before and - I was just wondering, can I touch? Just your arm or something, I've never touched a human before," the blue mech asked, inclining his head again.

"Carefully, Payload, remember, his species are fragile and are damaged easily if you're careless," the medic cautioned.

Although Sam himself had not spoken, Payload took the doctor's wording as permission, carefully extending one large finger towards the human. Sam couldn't think of any reason to deny the request so overlooked this, extending his arm for Payload. He felt the metal digit make contact just briefly, a brush of metal against skin as Payload immediately pulled back, then brought his finger back into contact, making longer and firmer contact with Sam's arm.

"You're dry, and warm." Payload said, withdrawing the digit, which then moved up to brush Sam's hair. "You have fuzz on you. Are the structures some form of sensor?"

"Um, no, it's called hair, and it's just for warmth and looks." Sam said. "I mean I can feel if it's blown by the wind or pulled on or something, it _is_ attached to my skin, but nothing more than that."

The finger brushed against his hair again. "It feels quite nice. It's soft." the mech remarked. Barricade chuckled.

"Thinking of taking on one as a pet, Payload?" the frontliner asked. "Remember they require a gentle touch and a lot of maintenance, and some of their organic functions have quite revolting results. Aside from the fact that you'd have to find one whose disappearance would go relatively unnoticed."

"No, no, I don't want one of my own, he's just different to how I imagined." Payload said. "Although this one's disappearance must be stirring up notice, as he's the Autobot mascot."

"Which once again raises the question," Swindle said. "Why take him, a criminal, who destroyed our AllSpark and our Leader, and not only keep him alive but designate him as Seeker-kin?"

"I think, Swindle, that that's my business." Starscream said, having opened the door unnoticed as Swindle was speaking. The single-optic mech backed off as the Seeker stooped and extended a hand towards Sam, almost at floor level. Sam recognised the unspoken summons and obediently climbed onto the hand. The fingers curled upwards to loosely encircle the boy as Starscream straightened.

"It is, however, a valid question." Starscream said. "I understand where your confusion stems from, after all he is a specimen of an inferior life form who has cost both our race and the Decepticon faction dear." He lifted Sam close and peered at him.

"Do you, Sam, have anything to say in your defence?"

Sam began to sweat a little, for he guessed that Starscream, if he so wished, could revoke the kin-claim on him, or destroy him personally. He was wondering if the Seeker had done it for amusement which had worn off, or on a whim which had ended. However he looked down at the assembled mechs and said "I was fighting for my life. Megatron was threatening to kill me and was trying to do so. I fought back with all I had, your AllSpark. I had no idea what it was to you, I swear!"

He mentally cursed the tremor that had developed in his voice as he turned to look at Starscream. "Did you expect me to just give up and let myself be killed? Wouldn't you fight back in that situation?"

Sam heard the mechs mutter something he couldn't catch, and turned to look back at them, hoping they saw his argument. He saw Barricade nod his head, but then the frontliner looked directly at Sam and said "Yes, I would, but that's not a defence. You still killed Megatron and destroyed the AllSpark in the process."

Sam noticed that Barricade was not speaking particularly aggressively, his tone was more debate-tone than accusatory, and Starscream's reply was delivered in a similar tone.

"Perhaps not, but I too would fight in such a situation. However, I have my own reasons for keeping Sam as I do, and designating him kin." He held Sam out for the mechs to look at before bringing his hand back.

"Eventually, I will tell you, and him, the reasons for his continued existence and privileged status. For now, however you will have to be satisfied with knowing that there is far, far more to this squishy than meets the eye."

With that, Starscream turned and left to take Sam back to the Seeker's hangar.


	7. Chapter 7

Possession.

Chapter Six.

As Starscream put Sam down in the Seeker hangar, Sam's mind buzzed with questions. Why had Starscream declared him kin? What would happen to him? Why was Starscream treating him this way? What did Starscream mean when he stated that there was 'far more to this squishy than meets the eye'? Sam also, however, wondered how to phrase the questions without risking pissing off the Seeker or sounding as if he were complaining.

Sam could not have said if something of his confusion showed on his face or whether Starscream had been planning this talk for a while, but Starscream looked at Sam for a few moments before asking him "What do you know about the AllSpark, Sam?"

"What, now, or back then?" Sam asked.

"Both," the Seeker stated. "What did you know then and what do you know now?"

Sam nodded slowly.

"Back then, I knew it was an ancient artefact from Cybertron, a great power source, of great importance to the Cybertronian people, I just didn't know how important or why," Sam said. "From what Optimus said about sacrificing himself, I guess I sort of worked out it would kill a Cybertronian if mingled with their Spark, but I wasn't wanting to kill Megatron, you have to understand that," he said pleadingly. "I just wanted to stop him killing _me." _

He raised his hands up in a gesture of frustration and confusion. "I guess that doesn't really make that much sense, but I can't explain it any other way." He hung his head. "Sometimes I think through it, wondering if there was something different I could have done, saving my life, and my world, and Megatron. I've never worked one out." He raised his eyes to look at Starscream again, and the Seeker noticed they looked shinier than usual, as if the human were holding back unshed tears.

"And now, Sam?" Starscream asked quietly.

"Now I know it was your main method of reproduction. Now I realise it was literally the life source of your people. I understand that its destruction has placed the Cybertronian race at risk of extinction." Again the human hung his head. "I realise that my actions have destroyed your main reproduction method and I wish very much that there was something I could do to mitigate or reverse this, but killing me is not going to bring Megatron or the AllSpark back. I just wish this could have been dealt with in a different way."

"Sam, do you remember how the AllSpark felt when you carried it?" the Seeker asked gently. The human nodded, wondering where Starscream was going with this.

"It felt _alive_, almost more alive than anything else I've ever touched, even another human being." At Starscream's shutter-blink, Sam tried to elaborate on this. "I know it sounds stupid, or doesn't really explain anything, but it was almost as if there was so much life, so much energy in it that it would burst out at any minute, almost as if the Cube couldn't contain it all." He held his hands up in entreaty. "I wish I could be more clear about it but I can't."

"But it makes sense to me, Sam, I have never touched the Cube myself, but others who have said much the same thing, that the Cube had a presence and an energy all of its own." Starscream said, crouching so that his face was on a level with Sam's own. "As for the energy bursting out any minute, that is _exactly_ what happened when you dropped it in Mission City, it gave life to many mechanical devices in the vicinity." Starscream flourished his fingers in the air as he finished speaking, a graceful, almost automatic gesture.

Sam nodded, remembering that moment well, when the car had come alive and attacked the driver, the X-box bursting out of its box, the Mountain Dew machine that had attacked a passer-by, and much, much more that he had not seen. The Autobots had rescued those it could, the rest had been destroyed either by the armed forces, the Police, or the terrorized citizenry of Mission City.

"Yeah, it did, didn't it?" he said. "I didn't even drop it hard."

"Bursting with life, Sam, you may well have that right," the Seeker continued. "Every year on Cybertron, during the Golden Age, it would produce thousands of sparklings, yet for many of your millennia it drifted through space, unused and unseen." Starscream half-shuttered his optics and shook his head a little. "Even once it crashed, there were none who could use it, although some of your legends suggest that energy leakage from the Cube may have influenced the development of certain groups of humans. However, until the human group Sector Seven began using it - sparingly at that - that energy had not been used, and it may well have built up." He peered closely at Sam. "Perhaps it needed to discharge that energy. Perhaps it was at full capacity."

Sam nodded slowly. If the AllSpark was used to having it's energy used, perhaps it had built up, maybe leaked into the soil and water, who knew?

"Yeah," Sam said, wondering if Starscream required a response from him.

"Sam, doesn't it make you wonder about the AllSpark's destruction?" Starscream asked. "That it survived in the hostile environment of space for so long, yet was destroyed with such ease? Doesn't it make you wonder how it was so strong in that situation, and so important to our kind, but seemed so easy to destroy? There was so _much_ energy, so where did it go, what happened to it? Even human scientists have worked out that matter cannot be created or destroyed."

"Only converted," Sam muttered, remembering a fragment from his science lessons.

"Exactly," the sharp-hearing Starscream said, rising from his crouch and shifting from foot to foot, his arms and hands making vague gestures and his optics shuttering and unshuttering. Starscream exhibited symptoms that would suggest anxiety or excitement and impatience in a human, but Sam was trying not to ascribe human interpretations of Starscream's behaviour to the Seeker, for Starscream wasn't human.

"Sam, the amount of energy the AllSpark must have contained should have obliterated your planet and incinerated your Solar System until it was no more than a cluster of cinders, but it didn't. "The Seeker's gestures grew wider as he reached one open hand up, the fingers rattling against the hangar roof. "From all the reports I got, not only was the city not damaged, but _you_ were left unharmed, you who was holding the other end of the Cube only inches from the conflagration of Megatron's Spark and the Cube energy." Starscream crouched again, curling up a hand to point one long index finger at the human.

"From what I've heard, your hands were unscathed, with not even a slight singe on the skin."

Sam held his hands in front of him and twisted them to examine them. They looked unremarkable: smooth-skinned and tanned on the upper surface, palms pink and creased as all human palms tended to be, perfectly normal, standard hands, but Sam began to wonder as he looked at them. It did seem strange that he had not even had the equivalent of sunburn, considering he had been holding a metal cube with the other end burning at what must have been a considerable temperature.

"Yeah, that _is_ weird," he allowed. "I never really thought of it before, I guess I just assumed I'd got lucky or that the Cube was non-conductive of heat. It all happened so fast that my memories are a bit hazy, I was fighting for my life, I wasn't really thinking about anything else at the time."

The Seeker sighed through his vents and crouched again. "It was something that I, too, had not given much thought to. When I caught you it was because the opportunity arose, and I had planned to take you to put on trial to distract my mechs, they have been restless recently. I scanned you, planning to remove any Autobot tracking devices in your clothes, and your cell phone, and out of curiosity I scanned your biological systems for energy types and levels. The result surprised me, piqued my scientific curiosity. This is the reason you still live."

"What is it?" Sam asked. Starscream did not reply, but merely continued as if Sam had not even spoken.

"I thought through the events of the last year, went through all the theories that might account for this, and did my research. All my studies only reinforced my first idea. However, so far it is all merely circumstantial. I need proof, not just academic theorizing and records of what happened at the time."

"What are you talking about?" Sam asked. "You're speaking in riddles. What is this theory you have, and how will you prove it?"

Starscream blinked his optics shutters as if only just remembering that Sam was there. He lowered a hand, and scooped Sam into it, bringing the human closer to those glowing red optics. Sam himself blinked nervously. Starscream's past behaviour had indicated that Starscream's moods could change in an instant. One minute they had been chatting pleasantly, the next Sam had been left alone with some of Starscream's mechs. No harm had come from it, but still, it had made Sam very much aware that he still did not know quite where he stood with Starscream, and he wondered if his question had tipped that balance again.

Just as Sam was debating whether to risk calling Starscream's name, he stood and looked at Sam intently.

"Sam, my scans detected something within you I had not expected to see, an energy that not only I, but every other Cybertronian in the ranks of both Autobots and Decepticons would recognise instantly. It was something I had never expected to see ever again, and certainly not in the body of a human, although with hindsight it does make a strange sort of sense, after all, _you_ were the last living thing in contact with the Cube."

"Yes, I was." Sam said distractedly, once again remembering how alive the Cube had felt in his hands, and how he had killed it, destroyed it by pushing it into the hole made by the Air Force in Megatron's chest. He pushed down the wave of guilt the thought always brought to him.

"If the Cube's energy was not converted to matter, or destroyed in a huge explosion, it must have either dissipated or moved." Starscream said. "Had it dissipated, this planet should be crawling with the newly-alive machinery the energy would have given life to. This is not the case. My theory, Sam, is that the AllSpark energy simply switched location, the energy found somewhere else to go." He abruptly pointed at Sam.

"When I scanned you, I detected AllSpark energy within you. It could be residual, I suppose, but my theory suggests otherwise."

He brought his other hand up, clasping it firmly but not too tightly around Sam, lifting him and holding him in his metal fist as he looked at the human intently.

"My theory, Sam, is that the AllSpark moved into _you_." Starscream explained. "Why it would choose an organic as it's vessel, I do not know. The theory is sound and has much to back it up, but it is solid evidence I need now." He blinked his optics before looking away briefly before bringing his attention back to Sam.

"I theorise that the AllSpark Essence is in you, and I need to prove this, and find out how it can be accessed and used. I now need to work out how to get the solid proof I need to confirm my theory, and whether you are aware of how to access it or not, Sam, I will need _you_ in order to do that."


	8. Chapter 8

Possession.

Chapter Seven.

Sam struggled futilely in the Seeker's fist, fear making him fight despite knowing he was not strong enough. To Sam's surprise, Starscream took him over towards his corner of the hangar and set him down gently, uncurling his fingers from around him.

"Now, Sam," Starscream said. "Perhaps you'd like to eat and bath and change your clothes before we get started on this?"

"Uh, yeah, please?" Sam asked before bolting into his corner in case the Seeker changed his mind. Sam ate, but between his earlier meal of chicken and his fear, he didn't eat much, and then he showered and dressed, his mind working through ideas regarding the proposed research that ranged from pleading for his life and finding a way to escape.

Sam decided while dressing that he'd go for escape or begging if the situation became potentially dangerous or painful, although he was hoping, almost banking on the idea that Starscream needed him alive and comfortable for his research.

When he came out, Starscream put his hand down and Sam climbed into it. Starscream moved over to another corner of the hangar, and deposited Sam on top of a large shipping container that appeared to be serving as a table.

"Stand still, Sam, I need to scan you." Starscream said, his manner and voice conversational.

Looking up at Starscream, Sam stood up to face the Seeker and held himself still as asked.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Will Lennox strode into the main control room of the Autobot base waving several sheets of paper and heading directly for Optimus.

"Okay, Prime, I've been pulling a few strings with the help of SecDef Keller, and we may be able to help you in your search for the boy."

Optimus crouched and put out both of his hands, Lennox put his hand on one big fingertip and vaulted into one of the palms, settling himself comfortably.

Optimus lifted Lennox up and let him step off on one of the tall consoles, to bring the human closer to Optimus' face. Optimus himself crouched to bring his face down to Lennox's level, managing to make it a respectful action rather than a patronising one.

"Major Lennox, could you please share this welcome news? We have not dared put a tail on any of the Decepticons in case it endangers Sam."

Lennox held out the A1 printouts, folded four times for ease of carrying, and unfolded them before offering them to the Autobot Leader, who took them.

"SecDef Keller asked for access to the data from the satellites that chart all aircraft, and check their flights against all military and civilian flights logged, and pick out any that are not logged or authorised. Another satellite was used to zoom in on and identify all police cruisers around Tranquility, out to a distance of fifty miles." Lennox paused for breath, pointing at the sheaf of paper.

"The top sheet is a record of several unaccounted-or flights, there always are some, even if you take out the Decepticons. With the ever-present terrorist threat, these are always checked. Some may be other harmless aircraft, maybe private aircraft, or any that may have had to make an unscheduled flight change. Those are being investigated, but we have already, we think, worked out which ones we are interested in." He pointed to the top paper, and indicated that Optimus should turn the page, which the Autobot did.

"That page records all the known movements of Barricade. Once he had been identified, the satellite watched him constantly. Now, not only has he gone to the same location as several of the unaccounted-for planes, but when we checked some of the other locations he went to, they were establishments that prepared food, such as pizza, chicken takeaway places ,and burger bars, all places where Cybertronians would have no need to go to unless they had a human they needed to feed."

He indicated that Optimus should flip the sheet again. He did so, revealing a fuzzy image.

"Barricade and some of the unscheduled flights have been tracked to here," he said. "It's a private airfield, it belonged to some billionaire who died, none of the children are interested in it so it's up for sale. Currently nobody else seems interested in purchasing it. The buildings consist of two large aircraft storage hangars, one smaller repair hangar, some outbuildings and a small bungalow, presumably where the billionaire stayed when he wanted to go up in a plane."

Optimus looked at the printout and without being prompted, flipped the page to show a larger map of the surrounding area. On this map, marked by different-coloured marker pens, were the suspicious area, plus Sam's house, the Lookout, the Autobot base, the known Decepticon Base, the suspect flights, and Barricade's movements, (shown as dotted lines) many either starting at or terminating at or near either the suspicious area, or the known Decepticon base.

"As humans would say, 'Bingo.'" Optimus stated."

"As I would say, I think we may have hit pay dirt." Lennox replied.

Optimus looked up, sending a comm to some of his mechs.

"I think we should discuss this, Captain Lennox, and try and work out a plan of action, for we now know where he's being held. We will need to find a way to rescue Sam without endangering his life."

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

"So - what happens next?" Sam asked nervously when Starscream had finished his scan.

"Well, I think it may be a good idea to review our theory. My scan still reveals the presence of AllSpark energy, although it is at a low level. If we work on the assumption that the AllSpark power is now within you, we must now ascertain if you can use it."

"How will we do that?" Sam asked, hoping that Starscream's use of the word 'we' actually meant he would have some sort of say in this.

"We could start with you trying to do something with the energy. Try to will a sparkling into existence," Starscream suggested.

He projected a hologram of a winged form that was both like and unlike himself. It stood about six feet tall. The features were a little less well-defined, its armour resembled no plane that Sam was familiar with, and the absence of weapons was quite obvious.

"This winglet is shown at life-size. The AllSpark was primarily a life-giver. Let's see if you can channel the energy to fulfil its primary function."

Sam sat down, putting his hands out. He looked up at Starscream. "What happens if this doesn't?" he asked.

"Then we may have to think of some kind of stimulus." Starscream stated.

Suppressing a shudder at just what that might mean for him, Sam closed his eyes and imagined the sparkling Starscream had shown, willing it to come into existence.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Bumblebee came into Optimus' office when he was asked to.

"Bumblebee, I would like you to go out tonight, early, and scout out the general terrain. Do not approach the building and do not make your surveillance obvious. Towards that end I am sending you out to meet with one of Captain Lennox's men with a parcel to deliver, so you have a purpose in driving in that area both on the way out and on the way back." Optimus handed Bumblebee a small, brightly wrapped package.

"Yes, Sir," Bumblebee stated. "May I ask what is in the parcel?"

"You may." Optimus stated. "It is a gift from Captain Lennox to the man's wife and children." He smiled slightly. "I believe the confection within the parcel is a sweet substance, highly prized by most human females and younglings, called 'chocolate.'"

Bumblebee nodded - he had seen Sam consuming some of the treat more than once and was aware that Sam's mother, Judy, was particularly fond of it.

"I will set out right away, Sir, I can survey the place on the way in, stay in the city overnight, and come back in the morning." Bumblebee said.

"Very well, scout, I will anticipate your return and your report when you do so. Take care, and good luck."

Optimus watched as Bumblebee left, then turned back to re-examining the printouts Lennox had given him.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Half an hour later, Sam was sweating and tired and his attention was beginning to flag. No sparkling had appeared, although Starscream told Sam that the scans he had taken every five minutes had picked up fluctuations in the AllSpark energy level within him. This, Starscream said, indicated more strongly than ever that it was more than a powerless residue left over from Mission City.

"Sam, you have seen the AllSpark operate more times than I. Can you remember the circumstances it reacted under ?" Starscream asked.

"Um…I'll try," Sam said uncertainly.

"Try a linear timeline," Starscream suggested. "When did you first see the AllSpark?"

"Um…that would be at the Hoover Dam, after I first saw Megatron. I was telling them that Megatron was looking for the AllSpark and they exchanged looks. I realised they knew where it was and confronted them with this knowledge. They didn't even try to deny it." Sam squinched his eyes shut at the memory. "They had it right next door."

"When did you first see it react to anything?" "Starscream asked. Sam lifted his thin shoulders in a shrug.

"When they zapped Glen's cell. They had some sort of energy collecting device and somehow they harvested the energy and channelled it to Glen's phone. It went mad, firing bullets and clawing at the walls of the Perspex box they'd put it in. So they electrified the box and destroyed it."

This time it was Starscream who shuttered his optics and let out a small cry, and Sam himself felt sympathy for the little phone-bot that had only been created and then killed out of curiosity.

"And after that?" Starscream asked.

"We went through to where the AllSpark was when they let Bumblebee go. He touched it and it shrunk."

"Did he do anything else?" Starscream asked.

"He kinda hummed or warbled as he did it." Sam said.

"After that?" the Seeker pressed.

"Well, we carried the Cube to Mission City and I was given it by Bumblebee, and Lennox told me to carry it to the building. The rest you know. I dropped it, it brought a bunch of stuff to life."

Starscream nodded. "I'll search my own processors for anything that may be relevant, but for now we'll hold off on this for tonight. You go and rest, and I'll get Swindle to get you some food, to give Barricade a rest. Any preference?"

"Chinese?" Sam asked. "Maybe beef chow mein and some soda?"

"Very well, Sam, I will tell Swindle to get it for you and bring it in. I shall go and spend time in the other hangar with my wing brothers for a short time. We will continue our efforts in the morning."

Sam went through to his room and Starscream went to the grounder mechs' room to give Swindle Sam's food order. Then he went to the communal hangar, finding both Thundercracker and Skywarp there.

"Thundercracker, I would like it very much if you could take Sam out for a flight in the morning, he has not had one recently but I will be too busy to take him up myself."

Thundercracker nodded, he did not particularly object to Sam, and would take any excuse he could to take a flight. Starscream then turned to Skywarp.

"Skywarp, once Thundercracker has gone out, I have a task for you as well."


	9. Chapter 9

Possession.

Chapter Eight.

As it happened, it was Payload who brought Sam his Chinese, rather than Swindle, something that surprised Sam.

"I thought Swindle had been sent out for food?" he asked as he took the little plastic bag Payload had pinched between two claws.

"Swindle pulled a shift for me when I didn't want to do it. I owed him, and he called in the debt." Payload explained.

"I guess he still just sees me as a squishy," Sam said.

"Only partly." Payload assured him. "It's cold tonight and he wanted to stay in." He reached out with a finger to stroke Sam's hair. "Don't worry, I think you're cute. A cute squishy, yes, but still cute."

'_Well, it's an improvement upon hating me,_' Sam decided, and just smiled at the big mech, who gave him a scary, toothy grin back.

Sam was happy to talk to Payload in between bites of his chow mein, Payload asking questions about humans and human family life, although he steered clear of asking about human reproduction, for which Sam was very grateful. He excused himself when Starscream came back, promising to visit again soon. Sam counted this as a small victory, Payload was at least more curious than resentful of him.

"Have your flight suit ready, Sam, tomorrow Thundercracker will be taking you for a flight." Starscream told Sam once Payload had left.

"Okay," Sam said. "Why Thundercracker?"

"Because I'm too busy and he loves to fly, so will not care that he has a passenger," Starscream replied. "When he returns, I will have some ideas to try about rousing the AllSpark energy within you."

"Um - you're not going to get him to try dropping me like I dropped the AllSpark in Mission City, are you?" Sam asked nervously.

"Of course not! You are kin, Sam. I would not do such a thing!" Starscream huffed. "What will it take to convince you that I'm not going to cause you harm or allow you to come to harm?"

Sam couldn't think of anything that would make him 100% sure, but he nodded.

"That assurance has helped," he said, not at all untruthfully, he had found it reassuring.

"Okay, I am going back to my wingbrothers, Barricade will stand watch outside the hangar doors, just to ensure you are safe." Although Sam did not say so, he was convinced it was so to stop him trying to escape. The warning noted, Sam nodded.

"Have fun and sweet dreams," he said. "I think I'll get some sleep myself." He headed for his bed as Starscream headed for the communal hangar.

Although he lay down early, the fears in Sam's head about the coming day meant it was a long time before he actually slept.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

He was woken by Starscream early that morning. Not having slept well earlier, he felt groggy.

"Thundercracker is here to take you for your flight," the Decepticon Leader said, obscenely brightly in Sam's opinion, considering the early hour. "Have something to eat and then get in your flight suit."

Sam had breakfast - the cold remains of the chow mein he'd had the night before - and wriggled into the bulky suit. He nervously went out, and Starscream scooped him up carefully and took him outside, lowering him into Thundercracker's cockpit (the other Decepticon was, of course, in alt-form). Starscream waved cheerily to Sam as Thundercracker taxied up the runway and took off with a noisy roar of powerful jet turbines. Starscream watched until the other Seeker was no more than a speck in the distance, and then walked back into the communal hangar.

"Skywarp," he called as he got in. "Thundercracker has taken Sam out of the way. You're free to carry out your task."

"Immediately, Starscream," Skywarp said, walking out and transforming. A moment later, Starscream heard the other Seeker take off as well.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Bumblebee headed back towards Tranquility, having delivered the parcel and observed the terrain on the way as asked. He had been put up in a nice warm garage for the night, and even had two faux-fur blankets thrown over him to be sure he wasn't cold. The soldier knew Bumblebee's true nature although he'd never seen him out of alt, and Bumblebee was cheered by the courtesy. It was nice when someone remembered you were more than you appeared to be, even if they'd never seen the proof.

He'd soon be approaching the area of interest and he began to warm up his sensors and recording gear, humming slightly to fill the strange silence. Without Sam, the interior of his alt seemed an abandoned and lonely place, his holoform just didn't cut it.

He wasn't concerned about the jet high in the sky above him, in fact he barely noted its presence. This close to Nellis, military craft were not an unusual sight, and its very height reassured him that it wasn't a threat to him. It would have to come lower to pose any such threat, so he paid it no further heed. Ahead the road was clear and he speeded up a little to take advantage of the space. He was so involved in readying himself for the recording and scanning that he didn't notice the high-flying jet apparently seem to disappear.

He was rudely jerked to full alertness by the bang of air as Skywarp appeared, his shadow blotting out the light. Bumblebee swerved in shock, for the Seeker was now in robot form and flying less than ten feet above him, directly overhead. The Seeker's hand flashed down, throwing something down in front of the scout, a small silver cylinder, before the Decepticon flew steeply upwards.

Bumblebee barely registered the cylinder before it exploded. The explosion itself didn't damage Bumblebee, but it was accompanied by a loud bang and a bright flash of light, both of which disorientated the scout. He swerved and weaved over the road, screeching to a halt instinctively, waiting for his overloaded sensors to clear, and it was at that moment that Skywarp dove back down.

Bumblebee, still dazed by the flash grenade, didn't see this, but he felt the Seeker's hands slip into his wheel-walls, one in the front right, the other in the rear left. Bumblebee didn't even have time to react as the Decepticon tightened his grip, and then rested his chest upon the scout's roof.

Having ensured that the warp field would envelop them both, Skywarp warped, he and the scout winking out with another bang of displaced air.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

As soon as he felt his tyres touch the ground when Skywarp reappeared, Bumblebee tensed, ready to transform. With Skywarp's hands where they were, he would be unlikely to get very far if he tried now, but the moment they were removed, he intended to act.

The hands remained, however, and Skywarp spoke.

"I was instructed, Autobot, to bring you in, but to do so with as little injury to you as possible. I think I have managed that, but I would prefer not to have to get into a fight with you." The Seeker paused, then continued speaking.

"As my wingbrother specified a minimum of injury, it is my belief that he means you no harm. He asked me to bring you to him once I had procured you. I am going to release you in a moment, and I do hope that you will not force me to defend myself, for this will result in you being harmed."

Skywarp released Bumblebee, who rapidly transformed into robot form and came out ready to defend himself, although he powered his cannon down. Skywarp stood ten feet away, also in a defensive pose but with no overt threat in his stance. Retracting his battle mask, but not relaxing one jot, Bumblebee gave a short nod.

"If you do not threaten me, I will not threaten you," the scout said.

"I am glad we can settle this in a civilised manner," Skywarp said. "Follow me." Without looking back to see if his order was being obeyed, the Seeker walked towards a set of double doors that appeared to be the only exit from the large hangar they had appeared in.

Bumblebee obediently trotted behind the larger Seeker, having to speed up to keep pace with Skywarp, for the Seeker's strides were slightly longer than Bumblebee's.

"Where's Sam?" Bumblebee asked, and almost ran up the back of Skywarp's legs as the bigger mech abruptly stopped, turning his head to look at him.

"Starscream will explain everything, but I can tell you that he was safe and well half an hour ago, when I last saw him." Skywarp continued to walk and Bumblebee continued to follow, knowing that he was unlikely to get any more out of Skywarp than he already had. However he had got the information he'd wanted and it was good: Sam was alive and safe.

They exited the larger hangar and then moved diagonally left, heading for a smaller hangar. Skywarp stopped just outside, and Bumblebee saw the telltale optic-dimming that signified that Skywarp was sending a com, probably to Starscream. A second later, Skywarp pushed one of the hangar doors back on its sliding mechanism, and stood aside, waving Bumblebee forward.

Bumblebee wasn't sure what would happen if he refused, although he had an idea that it wouldn't be a wise move, so he moved cautiously into the hangar, which appeared to be well-lit.

"Come in, Autobot, if I wanted you harmed, you already would be. As it is, you will serve my purpose best undamaged." Starscream said from inside.

Bumblebee wondered just what that purpose was but refrained from asking. If he showed an interest in it, Starscream might decide to withhold the information, but feigning no great interest could make the Seeker tell more than he had originally planned. As asked, he advanced into the hangar, to see Starscream sat on one side of a shipping container. Beside him was an empty space, which the Seeker patted encouragingly.

"Come, sit with me, we have much to discuss, you and I." Bumblebee made a querying noise, but when the Seeker beckoned again, he moved over and perched cautiously on the container next to Starscream, his doorwings twitching nervously.

Starscream's optics darted briefly to the twitching doorwings, but he otherwise gave no sign that he had noticed. He picked up two small cubes of energon Bumblebee had not noticed on his other side, took a sip from each, and then offered one to the yellow scout, who accepted it, his doorwings giving a larger twitch in surprise. Drinking energon together was something done only when neither mech intended to attack or harm the other, and drinking was an unspoken acceptance of that custom. As Starscream took a mouthful, and then turned to look at Bumblebee questioningly, the scout quickly took a mouthful, sealing the deal.

Some customs had become almost as binding as oaths, and as both had drank, signifying a temporary truce, Bumblebee was finally able to relax. Starscream noticed and put one long, claw-jointed hand on Bumblebee's upper arm.

"I apologise for your sudden abduction, but I thought that this way would be quicker and less risky to all of us than landing nearby. After all, I suspect that in that instance, you would, as the humans say, 'shoot first and ask questions later.' I would personally prefer that we begin talking without first having to incapacitate you to do so."

Bumblebee bobbed his head in acceptance once: that made sense. He wanted to ask a dozen questions himself, but sensed that Starscream had more to say, so held back. At his continued silence, the Seeker continued to speak.

"You are probably wondering why you are here: I will be happy to explain." He looked at Bumblebee with a querying glance.

"I'm more interested in speaking to, or about, Sam," the scout stated. "I am his assigned guardian, and I am concerned."

Starscream tipped his head back and shuttered his optics as he gave a small chuckle of amusement. Bumblebee felt like throttling the Seeker but he stayed his hands: they were at truce. Instead he asked, sharper than he had intended, "What's so funny?"

"I apologise, but your question and it's answer are part of your reason for being here. As for your answer, it will be walking in those doors in just a few minutes."

In the silence that followed, Bumblebee heard, far distant, the sound of jet engines. The sound increased in volume rapidly until it became apparent that a jet was actually landing. There was a short pause, and then Sam, followed by Thundercracker, walked into the hangar, and blinked.

The human was still wearing his bulky flight suit, but this did not stop him from running across the hangar floor at the sight of Bumblebee, crying 'Bee!"

That was enough for the yellow scout: he put down his energon and stood, putting his hands down. As the human jumped into them, Bumblebee raised his hands to his face, feeling his human friend grab hold of his lower faceplate, pulling his head around to pat his cheeks and cuddle him.

"Bee, Bee!" he cried. Bumblebee lowered Sam briefly, looking sideways at the Decepticon Leader, who was still sat on the container.

"What's this all about?" he demanded to know. "Are you planning to harm me to get Sam to do something he doesn't want to? Or Sam to make me comply with something?"

"Bumblebee, we have drunk energon together, we are at _truce_." Starscream sounded hurt by the accusation.

"What about Sam? Energon is corrosive to humans, so you can't have the same truce with him," asked the scout. "As Sam's guardian, I am permitted to guard him if neccessary, truce or no truce, and I will if I have to," he stated.

"Bumblebee, I have no intention of hurting either you or Sam," Starscream said. He moved forward. Bumblebee backed up cautiously, holding Sam to his chest. Starscream sighed theatrically.

"Bumblebee, while he is here, Sam is under my protection, or you can be sure he would already be dead, my mechs are not happy about what happened in Mission City. However, he is still alive."

"For your own purposes, doubtless," Bumblebee said. "How do I know that once you have what you want you won't kill him?"

"Sam, take off the top half of the flight suit and show Bumblebee your clan-mark." Starscream said. Sam nodded and unzipped the suit, beginning to peel it off. As he did so, Starscream spoke.

"It is true that I kept Sam alive and healthy for my own purposes, but it was for more than just a whim, or even to coerce you into doing something for me." As Sam skinned off the arms of the flight suit, revealing his white vest and bare arms, Bumblebee stared as Sam turned to expose his right upper arm to him, the tattoo clearly visible.

"However, as you can see, it was more than just a temporary thing." The Seeker looked up at the shocked Bumblebee, who's optics flickered from Sam's tattoo to the Seeker and back to the tattoo.

Starscream stood up straight, giving the Autobot scout a haughty and challenging look. He spoke again.

"Even an Autobot should know that I will not harm, or allow harm to come to, one whom I have claimed as my own kin."


	10. Chapter 10

Possession.

Chapter Nine.

Bumblebee let out a querying whistle and stooped, bringing his optics close to the tattoo as if doubting what he was seeing. Then he turned to Starscream and raised his hands to his chest level with another whistle of confusion.

"Why would you do this? Sam fought against you, last time you saw him you tried to _kill_ him. Why would you mark him as one of your own?"

"I scanned Sam and detected AllSpark energy within him. I am working on the assumption, drawn from various circumstances, that the energy or power of the AllSpark is now resident in Sam," Starscream explained. "That is why I had you brought here, Bumblebee, I am hoping you can help awaken the energy within Sam, something Sam has so far been unable to achieve." The Seeker placed a hand lightly on the Autobot's shoulder.

"Don't you dare, Starscream!" Sam said angrily. Both Starscream and Bumblebee looked down at Sam with wide optics.

"What's the matter, Sam?" Bumblebee asked.

"If he hurts you, Bee, to try and make me use the AllSpark, I swear I will not help him or let him use this power." he switched his gaze to Starscream. "Leave Bee out of it, find another way to stimulate it!" Sam cried.

"Hurt him?" echoed Starscream, looking confused. "I did not bring him here to hurt him, Sam, we have drank together, and custom dictates that neither of us attack the other. I had him brought because from your description, it sounds as if Bumblebee is a sensitive."

"Sensitive?" Sam asked. "What's a sensitive?"

"Somebody who could communicate with the AllSpark via touch and song." Bumblebee answered him at a nod from Starscream. "As Starscream seems to have surmised, I am one of these individuals, as is Optimus Prime."

"Well, I didn't know that, plus he would have been a whole lot harder to kidnap," Starscream replied. Sam had a sudden mental image of Skywarp straining to lift a wriggling Prime, and smothered a nervous giggle.

"May I assume that this has something to do with Sam possessing the AllSpark within him?" Bumblebee asked the Seeker.

"Indeed. I was wondering if your Sensitive abilities might work with Sam, if you held him in your hands and sang to him, might it bring the AllSpark out, or at least enable some method of communication." He turned to Sam. "He is special to you, and you are kin. There is no need to harm him, but it is his special ability that made me decide to bring him here, plus I thought it might cheer you up."

"Cheer me up?" Sam said in disbelief. "You bring him to a place where his factional loyalty could put him in danger and you think that will 'cheer me up?' More like give me more cause to worry."

"He will stay here in this hangar with you, and I will tell the other mechs that he is not to be harmed," Starscream assured. "Do not worry, Sam, I have thought things out, I will not be so careless as to let him come to harm."

"So they will all carry out your orders without question?" Sam asked. "Your mechs are all loyal to you now Megatron is gone?"

Starscream paused a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, you are correct, one or two will need the message stated clearly, perhaps reinforced with threats of what disobedience will mean. After all, Megatron is dead, I am in charge now, it is time they lay aside their loyalties to the dead or perhaps I will help them to join Megatron in oblivion." He fisted a hand so tight that Sam heard the metal creak. "You two, wait here and I'll be back."

"Hey, hey, wait!" Sam said, having an awful vision of Starscream facing down the grounder mechs and threatening them, and of them revolting. Starscream turned to look at Sam.

"What is it?" he asked irritably. "Do not assume that your new status gives you the right to challenge my authority."

"N-no, no, it's not that," Sam stammered. "I was just thinking that if mechs are like humans, a bit of encouragement works too. Sometimes just threats can work against you."

"Meaning?" Starscream asked, keeping his gaze fixed on Sam, who was beginning to wonder how much protection Starscream's claim would give him if Starscream himself got angry at Sam. The thought made Sam begin to shake in fear

"Meaning that some people - well, humans anyway, I don't know about mechs - will attack if they are scared enough." Sam knew he was babbling, but right then didn't care. "You don't want to risk your mechs ganging up on you and attacking you, do you?"

Either Starscream had calmed down or the level of Sam's fear had penetrated the Seeker's anger, for Starscream's face cleared and he unclenched his fist, peering in dismay as the shaking human.

"You may have a point, so what is your suggestion?" the Seeker asked.

"Well, I don't know what to suggest specifically, but perhaps you could ask their opinions or offer them some incentive, rather than just using threats," Sam stammered nervously. "What about suggesting that Bumblebee is of more use alive and well then dead, like as a bargaining chip against the Autobots? Maybe stress that the last thing you want is to have the Autobots attacking you to avenge the death of one of their own? Suggest swapping him back to the Autobots in return for fuel or concessions, something like that? After all, you could, you know."

Sam heard Bumblebee give a confused warble as Starscream gazed at Sam contemplatively for a moment. Sam swore something akin to amusement glinted in the Seeker's optics for a moment, something that was confirmed when Starscream's taut frame relaxed and a slight chuckle escaped his vocaliser.

"Why, Sam, you're more devious than I gave you credit for, we'll make a Decepticon out of you yet," the Seeker remarked.

"Thanks, I think," Sam said uncertainly, and was rewarded with another laugh from Starscream.

"Very well, I shall take you up on your suggestion with one slight modification," the Seeker stated, putting out a hand for Sam to climb on and beckoning to the Autobot scout.

"What modification would that be?" Sam asked nervously. Last time Starscream had 'modified' his plans, Sam had ended up keeping the other mechs entertained while Starscream and his wing brothers had gone for a fly.

"Well, Sam, far be it from me to steal your ideas, and the mechs need to see that your status is more than just tokenistic." Starscream told the human. "I think it's time I allowed you to use your new status as my kin with my mechs."

"Meaning?" Sam asked, wondering how Starscream would achieve this.

"Meaning that _I _won't be telling them about Bumblebee being kept alive to Decepticon advantage, Sam, but _you_ will," the flier explained.

Sam almost choked at Starscream's blithe suggestion.

"_Me?" _he managed to cough out. "They won't listen to me, I'm just a human, and an Autobot sympathiser!"

"I will be there to back you up Sam, but that is the reason I want you to tell them. Hearing the suggestion that we swap Bumblebee for fuel from _you_, a known Autobot sympathiser, may well make them see you as trying to help both sides," Starscream explained. "I was about to go out and threaten them, it was _you_ who made the swap-for-fuel suggestion, and it works well for everyone. The Autobots get their scout back alive and well, we receive something in return, and nobody gets hurt. Believe me, showing impartiality to both sides may be of benefit, especially if we can rouse the AllSpark." He paused, peering at Sam, his expression switching to slight suspicion.

"Or _would_ you choose to allow the Autobots to have sparklings and deny them to us?"

"N-no, of course not," Sam stated. "That would be unfair." Starscream nodded, as if it were settled, and it struck Sam that perhaps to Starscream, it was.

"You addressing them about this idea, and me explaining it _was_ your idea, may help in convincing them of that when the time comes," Starscream explained. "Come, we will address them now."

Before Sam could protest or think of anything else to say the seeker pushed open the big hangar doors and was striding towards the ground-based mech's building.

Starscream used metal knuckles to rap on the door before pushing it open and striding in, beckoning Bumblebee to follow. The yellow scout did, but was careful to position himself right behind the Seeker. If any of the Decepticon mechs tried to attack before Sam gave his explanation, or if the attempt failed, the second they spent dodging the Seeker could be the second that saved life or limb. After that, it would be up to Starscream what happened to the unfortunate mech, as Bumblebee was obviously instrumental in helping Sam and Starscream contact the AllSpark.

The mechs, however, were obviously observant enough to realise that Bumblebee was there at Starscream's behest, following him willingly without threats or restraints, so although they all looked at each other briefly, none of them moved to attack. Instead, they looked at Starscream expectantly, obviously expecting an explanation. They shutter-blinked in surprise when Starscream stooped, slid Sam off his hand, straightened and stepped back. As Sam wavered and regained his balance, as taken by surprise by Starscream's action as the mechs, the Seeker spoke.

"My chosen-kin will address you himself. You will treat him with respect and hear him out, or you will answer to me."

Sam looked up, squirming at being the object of focus of so many staring red optics. Unlike humans, Cybertronians did not need to blink, and Sam found their intent, steady regard very unsettling. As his mouth went dry and his mind became blank, he reflexively swallowed nervously to clear the nervous lump that had appeared in his throat.

"Uum…" Sam said, not quite sure where to start. He looked back briefly first at Bumblebee and then at Starscream, both of whom gave him encouraging head-bobs. Standing up straight, he focused his eyes about midway up Barricade's form, this being the highest he could look at this distance without craning his neck. He realised that his reaction was not giving them any reason to respect or listen, and probably confirmed for them that humans were pretty stupid.

"Well," he said, furiously thinking about what he needed to say. It struck him that manners might be a good place to start and he directed a bow towards the group of mechs, then straightened up. "Bumblebee is here for a purpose, one which will serve us all." As the mechs looked at first Bumblebee and then himself curiously, Sam found that now he had made his first sentence, he now knew what to say, his nerves were settling.

"As you all know, this Autobot has been my guardian for some time now," the human continued, "and although it is up to Starscream to explain to you as and when he wishes his purpose in bringing us both here, there are some benefits to be gained by his presence, or more precisely, in returning him to his Autobot companions unharmed and functioning."

"With all due respect, Sam, please stop waffling and explain _why_," Barricade said, earning him the fish-eye from Starscream, but as he had couched it politely, Starscream said nothing, merely gesturing for Sam to continue.

"If we allow Bumblebee to come to harm, you can be sure the Autobots will retaliate," Sam explained, his confidence growing. "Not to suggest any of you would shirk from a fight, but why provoke a fight which will cause usage of fuel, why not strike a bargain with the Autobots?"

Sam saw two of the mechs, Payload and Swindle, exchange looks, and certain that one was about to interrupt, pushed on with speaking.

"It would be good for everyone if we were to offer to return Bumblebee to the Autobots on exchange for a certain volume of fuel, both for the Seekers and for the ground types among you," he explained. "You get fuel, the Autobots get Bumblebee back, and no-one gets hurt."

"That does make sense," the brown medic Dr Syn said.

"Would the fuel be suitable for all types of ground vehicles?" the tank-mech Wreckage asked.

"Well, I assume so, yeah," Sam said. "After all, you'll be the ones asking, you can specify what kinds you need."

"And energon, let's not forget energon," Barricade interjected. "I've heard that Ratchet brews his own." His glossa flicked out of his mouth and ran along his derma, startling Sam, who jumped. "I've heard he's a good brewer, we can ask for some of that, too."

"Well, are we agreed then that no harm comes to the Autobot, that his value in exchanging him for fuel is worth keeping him well?" Starscream asked.

"Well, I think it's a good idea," the medic said. "Fuel is in short enough supply for us Decepticons without using it up in needless battles, especially as this plan gains us more without expending some of what little we have in fighting to get it."

"Well, I guess there's no harm in it," Barricade said, and Wreckage, Payload, and Swindle nodded in agreement.

"Thank you, Sam," the medic said and bowed to him. The other mechs, recalling that Sam was Seeker-kin, bowed to him as well, as Starscream crouched and lowered his hand again, allowing Sam to climb into it.

"Then that is agreed," Starscream said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Sam needs to eat, and then rest, and then we have business to see to. Swindle or Payload, one of you go out to get Sam something to eat?"

He walked out of the grounder quarters without waiting for an answer, it was obvious to Sam that Starscream just expected it to be done. Back in the seeker quarters he lowered his hand again by Sam's corner, allowing the human to climb out before addressing him again.

"Now, Sam, get some rest and eat when the food arrives, for in a few hours, we have work to do."


	11. Chapter 11

Possession.

Chapter Ten.

Sam took the opportunity to wash and change his clothes before the food came (pizza, with all the toppings, and a bottle of soda) and then, as advised, lay down for a rest. His bed and clothes got shoved to the side so he and Bumblebee could both lie down, Bumblebee curled up, and Sam lying on the scout's hand. His back was pressed to the scout's chest, the warmth of Bumblebee's Spark was a comforting sensation that helped to lull him into a restful doze.

A few hours later he was woken by gentle strokes of Bumblebee's fingers down his back. He stretched and yawned, then remembered where he was and what was to happen, and sat up, rubbing his eyes. Sam sensed Starscream before he saw him crouched and peering over the partition he had erected in the hangar for Sam's privacy.

"Are you well rested, Sam?" the Seeker asked solicitously. When Sam assured Starscream that he was, Starscream asked "Then you are ready to try and contact the AllSpark?" He paused. "I have told the Autobots that Bumblebee is safe and well for now, and more information will become available later."

"Yes, and yes, thanks." Sam said, reaching for the soda for a quick drink to wet his mouth, then picking up the soda bottle and the three slices of pizza that remained, in case he needed them later. Starscream waited patiently, and when they exited, motioned Bumblebee and Sam to the middle of the spacious hangar.

Starscream had obtained another cube of energon for Bumblebee, who drank half of it before crouching in the hangar and cupping his hands in front of Sam. Sam looked nervous, as if only just realising that this moment was now upon him, but scrambled into the waiting hands. Bumblebee gently lifted him in them, the fingers curling up carefully to hold him in the sturdy cupped palms.

"So, what do I do?" Sam asked uncertainly.

"Try and find a position comfortable for you, Sam, and close your eyes. When I am sure you are comfortable, I will sing, and hope the AllSpark responds," Bumblebee said. Sam looked up, the look on his face betraying his obvious fear. Bumblebee crooned to Sam, humming gently to him, his optics bright with concern.

"Sam, I do not think it will harm you, I will go slowly, and if it shows any signs of putting you in danger, I will stop. I do not think it will hurt you, Sam, if I thought it would, I would not do this."

"O-okay." Sam said, lying down on the surface provided by Bumblebee's protective palms. He wriggled about a bit, curled up, wriggled a bit more, then relaxed and closed his eyes.

"Are you ready now, Sam?" asked Starscream.

Sam opened his eyes and looked up to see the Seeker leaning close.

"As ready as I'll ever be," he said, closing his eyes again.

Bumblebee looked up at Starscream, who nodded. Bumblebee nodded back, peered at Sam again, shuttered his optics, and began to sing.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

"We have had word from Starscream that they have captured Bumblebee," Optimus told the other Autobots. "We have the assurance of Starscream that he is safe and well, and so is Sam, but he will contact us later with more details."

"Can we trust Starscream to be telling the truth?" Ironhide asked.

"We must," Optimus stated. "If we hear nothing within twenty-four hours we will ask for proof. We know Sam was in good health and alive a few days ago from that image. They want something from Sam, they must gain something from keeping him well. Let's hope that Sam can use that to keep Bumblebee safe as well."

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

The melody was oddly familiar, very quiet, and slow, and at first nothing seemed to happen. Sam still lay quiet and curled up in the Autobot's silver palms, Bumblebee's gentle hum swelled slightly, the music picking up its pace a little as Bumblebee became convinced that nothing dire was happening to Sam.

Starscream himself had began a low-level scan of Sam, keeping an optic on his life signs, his heartbeat, respiratory rate, blood pressure and brainwave activity. His readings came back as normal for a quiescent but nervous human, but as Bumblebee's singing became more confident, slightly faster, took a lighter tone, Starscream saw the readings change.

Sam's heart rate and blood pressure rose, his respiratory rate increased, and his brain wave patterns altered very suddenly, from sleepy and relaxed to active and alert, and a brain wave pattern emerged that Starscream had never even read about being present in a human. It was as if there was not just one consciousness in Sam's body, but two.

Sam shifted in Bumblebee's palms, moving into a semi-reclining position. His mouth opened a few times soundlessly before he spoke.

"State your purpose."

The voice had the same general pitch and intonation as Sam, as the speaker was using Sam's vocal cords, but the puzzled look on Sam's face, and the querying tone of voice made it clear to both mechs that this was not Sam speaking. Both continued looking, but it was, surprisingly, Starscream who first managed to collect his processors and respond.

He took a step back, bending from the hips and spreading his arms to give a surprisingly fluid and low bow towards the entity that was not fully Sam that Bumblebee held steady in his hands.

"I extend greetings to the intelligence that uses the form of our human friend Sam to speak to us," the Seeker said, his smile cheerful and open, although Bumblebee thought it was a bit rich of Starscream to call Sam his _friend _after the Seeker had made or ordered at least two attempts to kill him.

It seemed Bumblebee was not alone in his thoughts, for the expression on Sam's face turned into a confused frown.

"The memories this one possesses suggests that you and he were on opposing sides in a war," he said. "This suggests you would be enemies, not friends."

Starscream was a swift thinker: Bumblebee had to give the Seeker that if nothing else. As if he had _not_ just been handed a refutation of his statement Starscream again bowed and began speaking, his voice not breaking or cracking. The Seeker showed no visible panic at the almost-accusation the AllSpark Entity had voiced.

"The situation has changed very recently: if you look at the human boy's arm, you will see I have clamed him as kin. In our society, that means that if anyone else harms or kills him, I must respond in kind. The humans call it "an eye for an eye". It is not a commitment we Cybertronians undertake lightly, and Seekers to non-Seekers even less so." Starscream paused before continuing "If you are the force that gives the AllSpark its power, you must know that."

Bumblebee had to admire Starscream's courage in almost accusing the intelligence in Sam of being a fake: however Starscream, it seemed, had not finished, for he lifted a hand towards Bumblebee and the figure he held in entreaty.

"If you do not believe the kin-bond sign I have made, search the boy's memories and you will find I have not treated him in an abusive matter. In fact I have not only not harmed him, but I have also extended what protection I can over his guardian."

The eyes of the body containing what must have been the AllSpark and Sam moved to focus on Bumblebee's face after this statement, and the face looked confused.

"My Guardians are trained, trained in a manner you were not," he said, this time addressing Bumblebee. "Yet the Seeker calls you my 'Guardian'." There was a very brief pause, in which the entity seemed to make a decision.

"Times have changed. You protect this body, you have the right to be called my Guardian." The entity in Sam's body placed a hand on Bumblebee's thumb in what was obviously a visual demonstration although Bumblebee felt the action was for his and Starscream's benefit. Sam/AllSpark looked up at the Autobot scout with blue glowing eyes.

"Do you accept the risks as well as the benefits of this responsibility?"

Bumblebee recognised some of the wording and realised the entity that powered the AllSpark was offering him a choice and a great opportunity, that to be an AllSpark Guardian.

AllSpark Guardians were those who could honestly say that caring for the AllSpark was their life. It could take the form of cleaning and polishing the AllSpark, sharing their memories with it so it could learn, or even dying to try to protect it. It required a special kind of personality - which was why it was also giving him a chance to decline, a chance to back out without losing face, because not everybody Sparked was suited to that purpose. Bumblebee did not require much time to consider these two aspects before he replied.

"When Optimus Prime told me I was the human boy Sam's guardian, I took that directive seriously, although at that time he was not your vessel. Your choice of vessel changes nothing: I am still the boy's Guardian. If you wish me to become your Guardian also, I would be honoured. I accept the undertaking that places upon me, up to and including the sacrifice of my own existence, if it is required, in an attempt to preserve yours. This oath comes above and before any other loyalty, be it family, factional, custom, or binding oath."

The last part of that, quite deliberately on Bumblebee's part, was an adaptation of the main part of the AllSpark Guardian's Oath, as recorded in Cybertronian records. That was an affirmative to the AllSpark Entity, plus a low-key warning to Starscream: if he tried to subvert the AllSpark for his own ambitions, Bumblebee was prepared to die, if need be, in an attempt to stop him. Despite their differences, Bumblebee had come to respect Starscream in the short time he had known him as a person rather than an adversary.

It was still a surprise when Starscream himself bent to stand in a crouch before him and AllSpark/Sam. He understood that Seeker anatomy made kneeling impossible, so this low crouch was the best that Starscream could do, but it was lower than Bumblebee had even heard rumoured than any the Seeker had done, to his wing brothers _or _Megatron. However, what was even more of a surprise was the next words from his mouth.

"You are, I believe, the energy of the AllSpark in this human boy's body. I hope I am not mistaken for I have staked all I believe on it and am about to stake all that I am on it. If you are the AllSpark energy, the Essence, in this human boy, than I request the same honour, under the same conditions." Starscream paused only to look first at Sam and then at the sky, as if unsure which he should look to, although, as Starscream was a Seeker and the sky his element, Bumblebee supposed he should have expected nothing else.

Starscream spoke up again, so that Bumblebee and AllSpark/Sam could both clearly hear.

"If you wish me, Seeker Starscream, to become your Guardian also, I would be honoured. I accept the undertaking that such a responsibility places upon me, up to and including the sacrifice of my own existence, if it is required, in an attempt to preserve yours. This oath comes above and before any other loyalty, be it family, factional, custom, or binding oath." He paused, then spoke again. "My oath to you will even supersede my Seeker and Trine loyalty."

Bumblebee stared for a few seconds before giving Starscream two very obvious blinks of his optic shutters, a sign to anyone who understood how Cybertronians blinked a clear message. Cybertronians only 'blinked' when the fluid keeping their shutters in condition were needed: _two_ shutterings so close together were not out of need, but out of surprise. For a Seeker to pledge total loyalty to a non-Seeker was unusual. However, a Seeker promising loyalty that went above his loyalty to his Trine to _anyone_ was very rare and almost unheard-of.

AllSpark/Sam stood up in Bumblebee's hands and reached a hand out to Starscream, who leaned forwards, allowing the boy to touch him. He felt a slight tingle as the appendage glowed faintly blue, felt a gentle mental touch, and then AllSpark/Sam spoke.

"You are usually so careful about preserving your own existence, but are willing to defend me even if it means your death. Why?"

Starscream did not question how AllSpark/Sam knew this, but he was struggled to try and explain himself.

"I - I can't explain it, but it feels like the right thing to do. You are the AllSpark. We almost lost you once to greed. It's like we have a second chance, we would be fools to waste it. Please believe me!" For a moment Starscream thought AllSpark/Sam was going to refuse, and for some reason the thought made Starscream afraid.

"Your request, promise, and words are honest. You mean what you say," AllSpark/Sam said. The words were not a question, more a statement, and Starscream realised that AllSpark/Sam had somehow seen into his processors, and knew he was being truthful. He supposed the AllSpark could not be too careful: too many people, both humans and Cybertronians, had perfected saying one thing convincingly while thinking the opposite, into an art.

AllSpark/Sam's hands glowed gently once again, and from where they contacted the two mechs, colour spun out and ran along their armouring. Starscream's helm became edged in gold, and patches of red spun and spread to form whorls and geometric shapes down his arms and legs. Red and gold tracery continued to spiral down his body, legs, and arms, and ran like liquid fire along both sides of his wings.

Gold began to spread over Bumblebee's paintwork too, starting from the thumb that Sam's other hand was touching, but instead of red, his was complemented by a rich royal blue. Spirals and glyphs spread out and condensed on him, gold lines ran down to half a millimetre thick and then flared out on flat surfaces, as the silver on his face became edged with both blue and gold and the top of his helm developed a broad blue stripe. Starscream was about to ask out loud if this beautiful paint scheme might not look out of place on them both in vehicle form when it briefly flared brighter and then subsided, although it was still visible.

Starscream had a suspicion about this, and turned off reception of all light spectra visible to the unaided human eye. His suspicions were confirmed -the superior vision of Cybertronians, which could see a wider range of colours, would see the designs, whereas primitive human eyesight would not. There might be the brief appearance of slightly darker or lighter areas on their hides from different angles, and special photographic equipment or lighting might allow humans to see it, but Bumblebee and Starscream would not likely be hanging around to let them try. The human phrase 'hiding in plain sight' sprang to mind, somewhat appropriately.

As the light faded, Sam's knees buckled and Sam sat down.

"This body requires rest. Perhaps when he is rested, we can speak again soon."

The light left his body, and as Sam looked tiredly at the two, he said "I'm exhausted. Any chance of a quick nap?" The voice was only Sam's again, and Bumblebee nodded, taking Sam to his bed area and slipping him under the covers, fondly watching as he almost immediately fell asleep. Once Bumblebee was sure that Sam was deeply asleep, he went back to Starscream, who nodded and gave the scout an amused smile.

"What's so funny, Starscream?" Bumblebee asked. "I'm concerned that if communicating with the AllSpark exhausts Sam this much, how might creating or healing affect him? He's no good as a human _or_ the AllSpark if he's dead."

"That is something we should discuss with both Sam and the AllSpark, a question we can ask. Perhaps one or both of them will have the answers we seek. As to what I find so amusing, it is this."

He extended one decorative arm, looked from it to his own red-and-gold patterned wings, then towards Bumblebee, taking in the spirals and glyphs and edging with a sweeping glance.

"I marked Sam with my symbol to confer possession of him, that he was mine and was my responsibility." He smiled up at Bumblebee again, then his gaze flicked back to his own armour.

"I believe the humans would call it 'ironic' that the AllSpark has apparently done the same with us."


	12. Chapter 12

Possession.

Chapter Eleven.

A/N: Credit to MajinBakaHentai on this site for one solution to AllSpark energy conservation. Thanks!

**Bold type **indicates commed messaged.

"Is he still sleeping?" Starscream asked Bumblebee quietly as he came in from a quick flight. The concern on his face matched that on the yellow scout's, for Sam's 'quick nap' was now into it's fifteenth hour. Even for male human teenagers this seemed excessive, and, although loath to wake him, Starscream was concerned that something had gone wrong.

"Yes, still sleeping, although activity in his brain suggest something's stirring, and I don't mean the AllSpark. I'm hoping it means he'll wake soon." The yellow Autobot looked over at Starscream with concern. "Is Barricade still on standby for your order? Sam's stomach reads as empty, and he is going to be _hungry _when he awakes. I've seen him eat when hungry, and it's surprising how much he can put into that little human body of his."

Starscream decided that now was not the time to remind Bumblebee that he had kept Sam for long enough to have observed the human's stomach capacity himself, and nodded.

"Yes, he's patrolling an area that encompasses a large number of fast-food outlets ready to put in an order when I call." He also decided not to mention that Barricade was not exactly pleased at being placed on this duty, AllSpark or no AllSpark. That was one thing to be said for Barricade: he might grouse about some of his duties but he still did as he was asked.

It was at that moment that Sam stirred and groaned, and Starscream moved over to peer in at where the young human was pushing the covers off his head and blinking his eyes.

"Sam?" Starscream asked. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, but I'm _hungry_." he said.

"What do you want, Sam? Barricade's on standby. Chinese, fried chicken, pizza, Indian, Italian? What do you want?" the Seeker asked.

"Any! All of it! I'm _starving_!" Sam said, throwing back the covers and standing unsteadily. "But first, I gotta _go_!" He set off at a determined stride towards the toilet facilities.

Starscream commed Barricade with a request for all he'd offered Sam, and decided he would clear out once Barricade returned: he just _knew_ Barricade would make sure chicken wings were in the selection, just to show his displeasure at being put on takeaway duty. Bumblebee had already proved that he was more than a match for Barricade in the unlikely event that Barricade tried to attack Sam, and Bumblebee was a guardian too. Sam had been fine with just Bumblebee while Starscream had been out flying and addressing the mechs, so Sam would be fine for another half-hour without him.

**'At last, something to do that _isn't_ driving round and round the same area repeatedly! Acknowledged!'** Barricade replied waspishly, then broke the connection.

"Well, Sam seemed coherent and steady when he woke," Starscream commented to Bumblebee. "Maybe the experience was more wearing than we thought?" Bumblebee nodded sombrely at Starscream's comment, neither wanting to voice the though that Sam's human body might be too weak to utilise the AllSpark's capabilities in a useful fashion.

At that moment Sam came back in, looking a bit more alert and a little less discomfited than when he had exited. He grinned and waved to the two.

"Mind if I take a wash? Long time since I've slept in my day clothes." He lifted an arm and experimentally sniffed at his armpit. "Phew! I _reek_!"

Neither Guardian objected, because they had both noticed the faint but unpleasant odour travelling with the human but had chosen to ignore it. They were both rather glad that Sam had noticed it before they had felt compelled to mention it. Sam stopped off to grab his wash stuff and a full set of clean clothes and came back out ten minutes later with his damp hair sticking up every which way and a clean set of clothes on, the dirty ones quickly deposited in the dirty wash pile.

At that point, Barricade arrived, driving into the hangar in alt-form, his back seats crammed with boxes and bags and packets, all containing food. Bumblebee and Sam quickly unpacked him, and Starscream quickly left as Barricade unfolded into robot form once he was unencumbered. The Seeker had already decided what he would do with the time, and the situation was, he felt, different enough to justify his actions.

Converting to plane form, he smoothly took off. He didn't think this would take long, and at least he might get some fuel out of it. He was hoping for much more, but that would depend on the Autobots.

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"The twenty-four hours is almost up," Ironhide observed. "I suggest we ask them now."

"No, Ironhide, there are still almost four hours left," Optimus said. "We wait until those are up. We have no reason to doubt Starscream, he is the one who initiated contact to tell us about Bumblebee, he didn't need to do that. He seems to want Sam alive, that plus manners alone suggests we give him the full time. I'm sure that if Bumblebee had attacked we would know: he would at least have had time to scream."

Whatever Ironhide was about to say in response was cut off as Mirage at the gatehouse, commed both mechs to inform them that a Seeker had been seen approaching the Base. A moment later the slender spy announced over the general intercom "Starscream is approaching the Base. He's requested clearance to land outside the gates and wishes to speak to Optimus, and Ratchet."

"I'm coming too, I don't trust that Seeker as far as I can throw 'im, and tha's not far." Ironhide said.

"Okay, Mirage, give him permission, Ironhide, me, and Ratchet to the gate," Optimus said, comming for the medic to join them.

'**No need! Starscream somehow has my com number, and asked me to come out himself.' **Ratchet groused back. **'He also told me to bring him a container of my energon, the cheeky slagger!' **Optimus allowed himself a small smile: knowing Ratchet he'd probably given Starscream his com himself several battles back, 'just in case', and despite his apparent displeasure, he thought that Ratchet would probably bring the requested energon for the Seeker too.

"Mirage and everyone else: continue your usual duties and monitor," Optimus ordered. He turned and walked with Ironhide from the room.

Ratchet, as Optimus had suspected he would, had brought a container of energon with him. They walked out and waited while Mirage opened the sturdy metal gates at Ironhide's command. They waited until the Seeker had landed with a loud screech fit to revive the offlined, and landed in a billow of white smoke that was either for show, or suggestive that Starscream was flying on little more than the fumes of his fuel tank.

Optimus was the first to notice the gold and red livery, and his optics widened in surprise. He was swift to recover his composure, and also reverted to traditional greetings despite current knowledge. The unknown could change things, and better to be ridiculed or made the object of jokes rather than risk offering potential insult due to a lack of information.

"Guardian Starscream, although we are on different sides of a conflict, I offer you the hospitality of our Base under Section Six of the Treaty of Iacon." On cue, Ratchet, who was the next to notice the colouration, stepped forward, offering the energon with a shallow bow. Starscream inclined his head in return and took the container, and Ratchet stepped back.

Ironhide noticed the honorific title, blinked, looked at Starscream, noticed the patterning, blinked again, this time twice, but made no comment.

"Thank you," Starscream said, having noticed the Weapons Specialist's confusion and secretly enjoying it. "I would like to accept your kind offer, as I believe we have things to discuss." He unscrewed the energon container, took a swallow, then offered it back to the trio of Autobots, who each took a gulp before Ratchet returned the container - still almost full - to the Seeker, who re-capped it and nodded.

"Now we have observed custom, may I suggest we go in?" Optimus asked. "We can use my office, it is large enough for our purposes."

"Via the med bay for refuelling purposes first, unless all that smoke _was_ just for effect," Ratchet said. Starscream chuckled, but deep down was glad that Ratchet had offered before it got to the point where he may have had to ask. The amount of fuel in his tank _was_ very low, but Ratchet's offer left his dignity intact.

"Thank you, it did mean I could make a grand entrance, but it wasn't planned. I- forgot to fuel up in my eagerness to contact you." That was laying it on a bit thick, in fact he'd already used up that day's fuel ration, but nobody seemed to mind. Sometimes it was good to have a reputation for such, it came to be accepted as normal for him rather than deliberately obnoxious behaviour. "Fuel would be welcome," he said.

The three 'bots turned to leave, Optimus dropping back a step behind the other two to walk beside Starscream, nodding towards the Base.

"Then please come in, refuel, and be welcome."

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Sam opened the boxes and packets and began eating, the lack of cutlery for the messier things not deterring him a bit, there was nothing too runny, so fingers served to pick up the food. He ate with a single-minded intensity, watched by an amused Bumblebee and an increasingly amazed Barricade.

"How can he consume so much when he has such a narrow little frame?" he asked. "Does the boy have a pocket of subspace in there?"

"No, my experience and reading on the subject suggests that as his body is still growing, most of the energy is diverted to fulfil that purpose. He'll probably stop soon, but then be able to consume a second portion after a short rest."

"But he's never been _this_ hungry before, even the other times I have brought him food," the frontliner said, as Sam continued eating ravenously, either unfazed by their conversation or oblivious to it.

"We think it's something to do with extra energy used in communicating with the AllSpark," Bumblebee said.

"Indeed. So what Starscream has told us is true? The AllSpark has not been destroyed, it has only moved here into this boy? That Starscream recognised this and that is why he marked Sam as kin to protect him?"

Bumblebee wasn't sure about the last query, but it made sense that Starscream would claim that even if it was not. However, the other two questions could be answered in the affirmative, and Starscream had protected Sam, he had to give him that, so Bumblebee nodded, then spoke.

"Yes, although we are as yet unsure how many of the AllSpark's abilities Sam may be able to perform. We are hoping the AllSpark can help deal with the energy-use issue. If simply _communicating_ with the AllSpark wore him out for fifteen hours, how can he, for example, create a Sparkling or heal?"

"Yes, he _is_ quite small and thin. He looks how I imagine Frenzy would if he were a human. However, I assume that some of that energy was expended in in marking you as its Guardians as well as in communicating. Maybe it is such actions that take the energy, meaning that Sam may just have to put a limit on how often he uses the AllSpark to do things."

Bumblebee blinked: he had not thought about how marking the two of them might have taken energy.

"Yes, and there are indications that the AllSpark looked into Starscream's processors, and that too much may have used some up."

"It's a bit of both," Sam said. He had finally stopped eating, and was looking up as he wiped his mouth. "I was asleep for so long because it was the easiest way for the AllSpark and I to communicate. It had questions I can answer. The shock of the destruction of the Cube sent it into some sort of dormancy within me, but now it's awake, and it and I can talk while I sleep, such an energy-hungry method of communication as you used earlier need only be utilised if a third party needs to speak to it."

"But you need fifteen hours of sleep to communicate with it?" Bumblebee asked in dismay. Sam laughed.

"No, it only took this long this time because it had a _lot_ of questions, and so did I," Sam replied. "It takes longer the more questions there are."

"So - will it be able to help us repopulate again?" Barricade asked eagerly. "Sparklings?" Sam's face reflected uncertainty, and Bumblebee moved a fraction closer to Sam.

"It - it says it is reluctant to make new life when you are so wasteful of those people you have," he said. "It fears that sparklings would die as unintentional victims of the conflict between the factions if it produced them now."

Bumblebee quickly spoke before Barricade could interpret and reject the AllSpark's insinuation that sparklings would only come if the two factions ended the war by making peace. It would take time for some of the mechs to come to terms with the idea, and Bumblebee was sure that the AllSpark would understand that, but he did not want to risk being diverted from the subject at hand by arguing the issue with Barricade, especially with Starscream currently nowhere to be seen.

"Theoretically? Putting aside the wisdom and risk, is it _practically _possible? _Could_ the AllSpark create sparklings, or would it require too much energy to be achievable?"

Sam thought for a moment, then slowly answered. "This is one of the questions I asked. It told me that from scratch, it would require a lot of energy, possibly more than I could channel at once, but it _did_ suggest that if the bodies were made here, and exposed to energy from your Sparks - you could pulse energy at the bodies - it could then place a Spark in the body. It said that bringing just a Spark into being would take a lot less energy than creating a Spark _and_ a body from scratch."

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem," Barricade allowed. "It was the usual way it was done on Cybertron, the prospective Creators bringing bodies to be enSparked. The AllSpark creating the body _and_ the Spark was unusual, and mainly reserved for a privileged few, usually the wealthy, once for a type of artist, or, very rarely, to a few the AllSpark chose for it's own reasons."

Bumblebee was about to mention that Cliffjumper was a craftmech and could thus create sparkling bodies, and, for later, adult bodies, but at that moment he straightened up, his optics flashing briefly in a manner that told the mech and the human in front of him that he was receiving a com.

A few seconds later, they heard the other two Seekers coming out of the other hangar they sometimes used, heard them transform, and then take off with a screech of engines.

"Where are they going?" Barricade said in annoyance, then straightened up as he got his own com from Starscream.

'**Get an extra fuel ration from the doctor, I have told him to expect you, and make your way with Bumblebee and Sam to this location. We will meet you there.' **The message was followed by a stream of co-ordinates.

Bumblebee was looking around, having received and answered his own com. Barricade nodded to him.

"We've got to go with Sam to a place that Starscream has given me the co-ordinates for," Barricade told Bumblebee. "I have looked it up and the humans and Autobots call it-"

"Yes, I know. The Lookout." Bumblebee said.


	13. Chapter 13

Possession.

Chapter Twelve.

"Okay, get in, we'd best not keep Starscream waiting," Barricade replied, transforming back to vehicle mode and flicking his door open.

"Hey, hey, not quite so fast, Barricade, I think I'd prefer to travel in Bumblebee," Sam said. Hearing Barricade suppress a growl through his vents, Sam tried to explain.

"I know 'Bee better, and, well, he _is_ both my guardian and that of the AllSpark. Sorry, Barricade, please don't take it personal," Sam said. "Anyway, I want to take some of this food with me, I'm getting a bit hungry again."

When Barricade maintained a stony silence and left his door pointedly open, Bumblebee sighed.

"Put some of the food in my back seat, Sam. While you're doing that Barricade can com Starscream and explain why we are delayed, that we are bringing the food." He paused, and then continued.

"You can also tell him, Barricade that our delay is being exacerbated by the fact that you are insisting that the AllSpark's new vessel, who also happens to be Starscream's adopted kin, travel with you, rather than his and the AllSpark's chosen Guardian, namely _me_." His voice lost none of it's calmness but gained a slightly steely edge.

"If you don't, I will." He paused to let that sink in, converting to car form as Sam approached with his arms full of foodstuff, then spoke again.

"Or you can let Starscream's adopted and the AllSpark choose to travel in whom he chooses without trying to intimidate him by sulking. The choice, Barricade, is yours."

Barricade didn't respond verbally, but closed his door with an annoyed-sounding slam as Sam opened the yellow scout's back door and put the food in. He picked up a small selection of food and got in the front passenger seat.

"Do you mind driving, 'Bee? I'm still hungry, and think I should eat these before we meet Starscream." Sam held up a hot and spicy wing.

Bumblebee gave an amused snort and brought up his holoform in the driver's seat.

"I need to get fuel," Barricade said, remembering the instructions in Starscream's message. "The doctor is expecting me, I'll be right back. If you wait for me outside this hangar, I'll meet you there."

As Sam bit into the chicken wing, Barricade purred out, heading for the medbay. Bumblebee waited till he had gone, then obediently moved outside.

If there was a chance for peace, he didn't want to jeopardise it by goading Barricade too far, but he had to admit Sam's new status was giving Bumblebee the chance to have a bit of fun at the frontliner's expense.

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Starscream broke his communication with Barricade to find himself under Optimus Prime's piercing blue gaze.

"Barricade has been given his instructions, and I assume you have given Bumblebee the same sort of instructions, in the process gaining assurance that both he and Sam are safe and well?" the Seeker half-stated, half asked.

"Indeed. Your information and peace overtures are most intriguing," the Autobot leader said. "You have invited your wing-brothers?" Optimus was fairly sure that Starscream's response would be in the affirmative. Seekers were closely bonded to their trine-mates, and the first thing he had done was to suggest that Starscream invite them. This hope for peace, although fragile, was too good a chance to risk by not extending such courtesies to the other two members of Starscream's's trine.

"Yes, I did, and I thank you for convincing the staff at Nellis to allow them a one-off refuelling." Starscream said. "Our fuel situation is stable at the moment, but if such courtesies are available, we will avail ourselves of them."

Both of them knew that this was untrue, but Optimus allowed the face-saving lie to pass, another skill required in diplomacy, though he would be happier when Ratchet, who was a diplomat before becoming a medic, took over, for diplomacy was a potential minefield even for him: diplomacy was one of Optimus' skills, but not his strongest. So Optimus merely inclined his head in assent. It was Ratchet who interrupted the sudden and almost uncomfortable silence that followed.

"Leaders Optimus Prime and Starscream, may I suggest that while we wait we make our way to the Lookout, and pass the time there by tasting the latest batch of my freshly-brewed standard-grade energon?"

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Barricade, as promised, was not long in following the scout and his ward to the concrete apron in front of the hangar. It was now late afternoon, and the sun was starting to sink lower in the sky. Barricade didn't seem in any better a mood for having a full tank of fuel, merely saying "Let's go," before moving off without checking that the yellow scout was following.

Luckily, Bumblebee had anticipated the frontliner's sour mood, and moved quickly to follow him, even around some of the nightmare junctions they had to go through on their way, which was something that probably annoyed Barricade immensely. To Barricade's credit he did not allow this to needle him, but Bumblebee heaved a sigh of relief as they reached the Lookout, where the two imposing figures of Optimus Prime and Starscream awaited them.

Sam had, as promised, consumed the chicken wings by then, and was quick to get out of Bumblebee and remove the food so Bumblebee could go into robot form only a few minutes after Barricade did the same.

"Greetings, Barricade, if you go over to Ratchet he has brought some fuel for you." Optimus said gravely. "Sam, Bumblebee, it's good to see you again, and good to see you're healthy."

"We assured you that he was," Starscream said his wings twitching agitatedly as Barricade moved opver to where Ratchet waited with a portable refuelling unit. "Do you still doubt us?"

"It is not distrust of you, it's part of what humans term "small talk", some of which includes stating the blatantly obvious," Optimus said. "He is in front of me, I can see him, yet I ask after his health. It is what humans would term a 'rhetorical question', a question that is not needing an answer."

Starscream appeared to accept this, crouching before Sam and extending his hands: Sam climbed into them happily as Starscream raised him to Optimus' optic level. He recognised what this was about: Starscream showing Optimus Prime that Sam was doing this of his own free will.

At that moment, Starscream's wingbrothers roared overhead, turning to return before switching into robot form and landing with only the slightest ground tremor behind Starscream. They moved forwards and exchanged brief face-nuzzles with Starscream before each thanking Optimus for arranging to allow them to refuel at Nellis. Optimus reflected that a crate of beer or a few bottles of spirits might be due Lennox, Epps, and maybe SecDef Keller for expediting _that_ one.

"May I suggest that now we have met on neutral ground, we head back to my Base, so we can talk about Sam's new status, and discuss it with him too, as he must have a say," Optimus said.

"Indeed," Starscream said, handing Sam carefully to Skywarp before folding down into his jet form and popping his canopy. "You won't need the flight suit this time, Sam, we're flying at subsonic speeds and low altitude," Starscream said through the cabin speaker. Then, after a pause, "I _am_ one of Sam's guardians too, Bumblebee, and I think it's my turn now."

"Yes, you are," Bumblebee allowed, "but I think the choice is really Sam's." Bumblebee shot a look at Sam that indicated his assent, and Sam nodded, so Skywarp carefully lowered the human into Starscream's seat, where he did up the harness with now-practiced ease. Sam recognised that his scout friend was being diplomatic, and trusted Starscream in his Guardian position. He could ride with Bumblebee later, and he had to admit he enjoyed being in a position and situation Miles would give his eye-teeth - and more - to be in.

"Ironhide is expecting you, we will follow behind," Optimus said, as Starscream took off in a way no real F-22 would be capable of, and lazily cruised off in the direction of the Autobot Base. Bumblebee, Barricade and Ratchet folded down into their alt-forms, and Optimus stowed the food in Bumblebee's trunk before he and Starscream's wing brothers also took to their alts. The two jets set off after Starscream, and to salve Barricade's wounded pride (and so he could clear a path through any congestion) Optimus invited Barricade to lead the convoy, and asked Ratchet to take the back.

They set off towards the Autobot Base.

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Ironhide was waiting, as promised, by the open gates of the Autobot Base, his back straight, his cannons powered down, but his arms crossed. As Starscream circled around he saw two other mechs, one silver and one yellow, join the black 'bot and almost balked at the looks they gave him and then each other. He saw Ironhide shake his head sharply and saw (but did not hear) him say something to them, before he uncrossed his arms enough to beckon him down before crossing them again, and Starscream chanced landing.

His landing, to his relief, was not 'aided' by the Twins, whatever Ironhide has said to them made them wait beside him. As Sam popped the harness and climbed out, Sideswipe stepped forwards cupping his sliver hands in front of Sam who dropped into them. As the silver mech took a pace back, Starscream transformed into his robot form and approached.

"May I suggest we wait for my wingbrothers before we go inside? They are just behind me," the Seeker asked.

"Okay, but just for the record, Guardian or no, I still don't trust yeh." Ironhide said. Starscream chuckled.

"That's what I like about you, Autobot, I know where I stand with you," he said. "You'd have done well as a Decepticon with that attitude."

Ironhide scowled and glared at the Seeker.

"Yeh tryin' to _insult_ me? How do yeh work that one out?"

"Trust, in the Decepticon ranks, was a good way to get offlined in a hurry," Starscream chuckled. "There were three unwritten rules in the ranks. First, your superior knows you might be a potential threat. Do as he says but don't turn your back on him. Secondly, if you want to advance and he's in your way, make the solution permanent and yourself non-accountable for it, and third, assume your juniors all want to be where you are, and don't turn _your_ back on _them_." He nodded. "In other words, don't trust anyone."

"With an attitude like that we'll get nowhere!" Ironhide protested. "What's the point of peace talks if yeh won't trust us?"

"Trust is not necessarily the best way to keep peace. Continual vigilance on both sides, with both sides aware of each other's surveillance, is a good way to deter treachery." Starscream explained.

As Starscream's wingbrothers landed and transformed, Ironhide shook his head but had to admit the Seeker's words made a twisted sort of sense. It was true that even during ceasefires, both sides had still had spies in the other's camps, and both sides had _known_ it. They might not know who the spies were, but they had known they were there somewhere.

Starscream paused in front of Sideswipe and held out his hands.

"As one of the AllSpark's appointed Guardians, may I suggest that I carry him in?" As Sideswipe hesitated and the tension grew, Sam took matters into his own hands by vaulting from the Autobot's hands into the Seeker's. At Sideswipe's surprised look, Sam sighed and looked at him.

"Look, he _is _my assigned Guardian and I do trust him, and if you don't mind, I'd like to get in before I freeze to death, please, it's a bit chilly now the sun's setting," the human implored. Ironhide nodded, seeing that the sun was almost touching the horizon, the sun would soon set and the chill of the Nevada night would soon be felt by any outside, Cybertronian and human alike. Starscream chuckled as Ironhide shuttered his optics and shook his head once.

"Come in, the others'll get here soon, I'll show you to the med bay, it's as good a place to wait as any," the black 'bot said.

"The med bay? Why?" Thundercracker asked. Starscream turned to him as Ironhide began walking through the gates.

"Because that's one of the places where Ratchet has his best low-grade available on tap," Starscream said, running his glossa over his lips before turning to follow Ironhide. He paused again, rotating his head to call over his wing "If you'd prefer to wait out here, that's up to you."

As the Seeker-Guardian followed Ironhide, he heard his wing-brothers scramble to fall in behind him as Thundercracker said "Actually, when you put it like that, I think we'd like to come." Skywarp made noises of assent but don not say anything else.

Even Ironhide smirked slightly as the three Seekers and one human followed he and the Twins into the Base.

(A/N: Sorry for the delay, people! It was caused by the arrival of, and entertaining of, a house-guest, followed by a severe head cold/mild 'flu.)


	14. Chapter 14

Possession.

Chapter Thirteen.

A/N: Dr Syn is the intellectual property of author MeowthTwo, and is used here with her permission.

Barricade was either exercising more self-control than Bumblebee had given him credit for, or had been mollified by Optimus' request to lead the convoy, for the rest of the trip to the Autobot base was undertaken with no sudden increases or speed or unnecessary detours through awkward junctions. As they arrived at their destination, they could all see Ironhide standing by the open gates, obviously waiting for them.

"Ironhide, Barricade is permitted to come in under Section Six of the Treaty of Iacon," Optimus told the Weapons Specialist.

"The Seekers and Sam have gone inside, Prime, First Aid is fuelling up the Seekers and checking over Sam," Ironhide told him. Optimus transformed into robot form and nodded his understanding before walking into the Base, the other three also transforming and falling into step behind him.

Optimus walked in to Ratchet's med bay in time to see First Aid finish his scans of the human just as Skywarp sighed in appreciation as he removed the tip of a refuelling nozzle from the valve of his now-full tank.

"Sam's scans read as normal," First Aid reported as Ratchet moved forwards to reclaim his med bay, "except for a low-level of AllSpark energy, now we know to scan for it."

"Ratchet, if I remember correctly, you, First Aid and Cliffjumper have been practicing making sparkling bodies," Sam said. "Do you have any completed ones that you'd trust to put a sparkling in?"

"Well, a couple, yes, the others either need completing, checking or are slightly below standard as we had to get used to making them again. Why?"

"Well - I'm not sure, I don't want to say anything in case it doesn't work, but - well, could you let me see them?"

Ratchet replied with a nod before moving to a cupboard which when opened, proved to be full of small sparkling shells. Ratchet sorted through them finding three that passed his rigorous standards, lying them down in front of Sam, who was stood on one of his smaller worktables. There was a small green sparkling body, and a little red one, and a slightly larger silver one. Sam examined the green one first, then the red, noticing the crafted hair which suggested it was for a femme spark, but the one he took most interest in was the silver one.

"Wings?" he asked, touching one of the thin appendages gently. "Are you anticipating little Seekers?"

"Not really, but Cliffjumper said he wanted to keep all his crafting skills in practice. I shouldn't have put it out, I'm sorry." As Ratchet moved to take the winglet frame, Sam put his hand out hurriedly.

"N-no, it's fine, I was just surprised. Here, let me try something."

By now the three Seekers had all moved over to watch. Sam swallowed slightly, wishing the four Decepticons and four Autobots weren't all watching. He felt nervous, wasn't sure if this was such a good idea, but he couldn't bottle out now, so he swallowed the lump that had suddenly materialised in his throat, and wiped his sweaty palms down the legs of his pants, then knelt by the winglet body and placed his hands on the smooth cold metal of it's chest.

As the assorted mechs watched, he closed his eyes and went very still. The tension in the air was palpable. As one second turned into two, and then to five, and then to ten, the assembled group wondered if they had pushed Sam too hard or expected too much of him, for nothing seemed to be happening, except that beads of sweat appeared on Sam's face. Then a blue glow flickered around his hands briefly, a glow that brightened until it was almost too bright to look at, and then abruptly winked out.

Sam seemed to almost deflate as he let out the breath he had obviously been holding, and then almost toppled over as the limp silver arm of the winglet tensed and shifted against his legs. He scuttled back out of the way as it opened small green optics and made a few clicking sounds followed by a coo.

"Starscream? That one's for you," he said. He looked first at Optimus and then at Ratchet. "There's one for each of you, too, if you want, but there's a condition."

"What about me?" Barricade asked as Starscream stepped forward to scoop the winglet up into his arms. "Not a flyer and not an Autobot so I'm not good enough, is it?"

"No, but there's only three bodies good enough to take a spark," Sam said. "As Ratchet helped build them, I think it only fair he gets the third."

"Look, we can custom-build one for you, and I won't accept mine till your sparkling body's been built, okay, it's only fair that the two faction leaders get them first." Ratchet assured the offended frontliner. He turned to look at Sam, not waiting to see if Barricade had been calmed by his offer. "You spoke about conditions, Sam, what are they?"

"The AllSpark is concerned about creating sparklings when there is active conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons," Sam explained. "It doesn't want to create sparklings only for them to be killed."

"We would never send sparklings into battle, or attack them!" Thundercracker said.

"But we can't guarantee that accidents won't happen," Starscream said as he held the winglet against him. It was whirring, the sound not a happy one, and Ratchet moved to get a cube of low-grade energon, a glass flask, and a piece of tubing.

Barricade watched for a moment and then said "In other words you want us to make peace, just on your say-so?" Sam shook his head.

"The AllSpark was reluctant to allow this one. I had to convince it that you'd at least give the idea some consideration before it would do it."

"That's why it took so long?" First Aid asked, and Sam nodded. At that moment, Ratchet walked back with a flask of low grade, sealed except for a short length of tubing, and gave it to Starscream, who put the tubing in the sparkling's tank valve and inverted the flask.

"There, little one, you need some fuel," he said. He looked up at Sam. "Is it a mech or a femme?"

"It's a femme," he said.

"I think I'll call her Firefly," he said, lifting the winglet to nuzzle its cheek briefly. "My little Firefly."

"If you think that we'll put aside our conflict just because you say the AllSpark says we should, think again!" Barricade said. Starscream turned around to face the frontliner.

"If you're going to reject the idea of peace without even talking about it and thinking it through, you can leave now, and I'll call in Payload to represent the ground forces in your place," the Seeker said in a sharp tone that left nobody present in any doubt that he meant it.

"Come on, Barricade, we'll get started on the body for your sparkling, shall we?" Ratchet asked. "I'll call Cliffjumper and we can draft out a few ideas." When Barricade looked mutinous, Ratchet softened his voice.

"Don't you _want_ a sparkling? Come on, just throwing up ideas won't hurt, will it?" Barricade looked at Starscream feeding the infant Seeker, then sighed and allowed Ratchet to lead him away.

"I can see the AllSpark's point, but Barricade's as well," Starscream said once he was certain Barricade had gone. "I'm willing to try for peace, after all, the conflict almost cost us the AllSpark once, and Cybertron is in ruins. What point would there be in destroying this world as well? There's not even enough resources left to make a takeover profitable." He nuzzled the sparkling again as he finished feeding her, handing the empty vessel back to First Aid. "However, the others may feel differently, so I can only promise I'll try and convince my mechs."

"Maybe the chance of sparklings will convince them," Optimus said.

"Will _we_ have a chance of having one?" pleaded Thundercracker, and although he said nothing, the anxious, hopeful look on Skywarp's face indicated that he was wondering the same thing.

"I'll have to check with the AllSpark, but all I can say is that _if_ peace is made, the answer is a definite yes. It depends on whether it feels it would be safe," Sam explained.

"I'll go back to the Base and explain things to my mechs," Starscream said, "and show them Firefly as proof that Sam can do this. I may be some time, but please be patient, others may still be reticent." He paused. "All I can hope is that Barricade changes his mind, if he doesn't some of the other mechs may hold out too." He nodded to Thundercracker and Skywarp. "When Barricade comes through, let me know his mood, and if it's negative, try and convince him of the benefits."

"That'll be difficult, what do you suggest we do?" Thundercracker asked.

"Encourage him with thinking of the possibility of his own sparkling. Use logic, use flattery, Pit, interface with him if you think it'll help, but just try!" Starscream said. As Starscream moved off towards the exit, Thundercracker nodded.

"Okay, Optimus, choose a body, and maybe I can give you your sparkling, but after that, I'd like a rest, please," Sam said.

Nodding slowly, Optimus moved over and picked one of the shells up.

"This one please," he said.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

When Starscream returned, two days later, it was with the rest of the Decepticons in tow. When Ironhide reported this to Optimus, he nodded.

"Let them in," he told Ironhide, as Ratchet commed to him that Starscream had just told him via com that he hoped comfort and full tanks would make his mechs more responsive.

Going down to the medbay to greet Starscream, Optimus watched as the other grounders came in, and as he moved over to stand by Starscream and personally greet their new guests, one of the mechs shot a longing glance at the tiny red femme that was in recharge nestled in the crook of one of the Prime's elbows.

"How is Barricade?" Starscream asked Optimus. "I haven't heard anything from my wing brothers."

"Ratchet and Cliffjumper have been hard at work since you left, but Ratchet thinks that the finished sparkling body may be enough to sway him, especially if Ratchet prompts him to think of it animated and moving," Optimus said.

"I _swear_ that medic of yours has a bit of Decepticon in him," Starscream said.

"Oh, if you ask me, every medic does, regardless of faction, we _need _that devious side to deal with awkward patients," said the Decepticon medic, Dr Syn, who had overheard the comment. He nodded to the sparkling. "So, what's her name? I'd ask to check her, but she looks too comfortable to risk disturbing."

"Terra Prima. It translates as 'First of Earth'. Technically, Starscream's was the first, but this one's the first grounder, and the first Autobot, Sparked on Earth," Optimus said fondly as he raised a finger to stroke the sparkling's back. The little femme purred and wriggled at the touch, but did not wake.

At that moment, Ratchet walked out with a less-mutinous Barricade in tow. The frontliner held a sleek-looking silver and bronze coloured sparkling body in his hands, which Ratchet exasperatedly but gently shifted to his arm.

"Close to your body, Barricade, sparklings instinctively crave the warmth of a Spark, so hold them against you, not out from you, it hasn't got contagious corrosion, you know."

"It's not even animated yet," Barricade grumbled. "What does it matter if I make a few errors?"

"Yes, while it's still only a shell, no harm is done, but let's get them corrected while it _is_ still a shell," Ratchet stated. He looked over at Optimus and Starscream. "The body for Barricade's sparkling is ready, even if Cliffjumper'll be grousing about the pace we set for orns."

"I'll call Bumblebee to bring Sam," Optimus said.

"Where is he?" Barricade asked.

"Visiting Mikaela and his Creators, remember he's not seen them for some time," Optimus said. He commed Bumblebee, then surprised Barricade by holding Terra Prima out towards him.

"If you're going to get your own sparkling, you might want to experience how it feels to hold one," he explained.

Barricade hesitated for an instant, then handed the custom sparkling body to Ratchet, and accepted the little femme, taking her gently in his clawed hands. As Ratchet gave an irritated huff, he quickly transferred her to the crook of his arm.

oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo oOo

Sam, with Mikaela in tow, was brought in by Bumblebee a couple of hours later. He was nervous, worried that without an assurance that Barricade would try for peace that the AllSpark would refuse to spark any more.

Bumblebee set Sam down on the worktable, and Barricade approached with a delicately crafted body, setting it down in front of him. Sam swallowed. This was it, this could potentially either seal the peace or destroy it. He just hoped the AllSpark realized it too.

He took a deep breath, and knelt, and placed his hands on the body.


	15. Chapter 15

Possession.

Chapter Fourteen.

The AllSpark's response was quick, quicker than it's response to his attempt to spark the winglet, and quicker than when it had sparked Terra Prima. Despite Barricade having given him a list of desirable characteristics, the moment he had mentally detailed them, the AllSpark acted. There was no resistance, no reluctance, the energy flowed in his hands, coalesced into a Spark, and vanished into the sparkling body with just a few crackles of stray energy.

The limbs of the body moved, one arm whipping up, the smooth bronze hand - almost a miniature of Barricade's own, minus the claws - catching at Sam's arm and holding on as it struggled to orient itself. The hydraulic joints tightened to the point of discomfort, and for a moment Sam feared his upper limb would be accidentally crushed by the little one, but then the squeezing stopped as the small mech looked quietly up at him with green optics.

A melodic warble sounded from its vocaliser, the tone and pitch wavering as the optics flickered to the various points of interest in the room. The sparkling released Sam's arm abruptly and began to coo as Barricade took two steps forward and crouched, reaching out wicked-looking hands to pick up the sparkling.

As Barricade stood, his sharp-toothed mouth opened, and for a moment Sam feared Barricade would crush the sparkling or hurl it from him as the frontliner's powerful hands began to tighten their grip. However the sparkling did not cry out in fear or pain, and in a smooth movement Barricade transferred his grip for a moment to lay the sparkling on his arm, feet first.

The sharp-looking claws closed firmly but not tightly around the curved helm of the mech, the powerful hydraulics that had made scrap of many a mech Barricade had fought making his hold on the sparkling precise without being restrictive. His other hand carefully tucked the feet into the elbow crook. Ratchet had made a few more of the feeding vessels, and Barricade took one from Ratchet, flipping open the fuel valve, inserting the tube into it, and upending the bottle.

The sparkling let out another melodic note and a happy click as the medical-grade energon began filling its tank. Barricade looked up from it, his mouth still open in a way that unnerved Sam, until he abruptly realised that the fearsome gape was how the lipless mech smiled. Barricade, he realised, was happy!

Sam's breath whooshed out as he let go the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding till that moment, and he sagged, allowing his tense muscles to relax. He felt gentle mechanical hands against his back, supporting him, as Bumblebee crouched to catch the tired human. Barricade took no notice: he only had optics for his new sparkling.

Bumblebee moved Sam over to sit on a nearby human-sized bed Ratchet had made up. Ratchet was abruptly by his side, offering him a large pizza: Sam suspected Bumblebee had advised the provision of this food for him, and tucked in. The weariness did not leave him, but Sam knew the food would help replenish his energy. When it has assuaged even his hunger, he sighed and leaned back, hoping he could rest soon.

Barricade, still feeding the sparkling, moved over until he stood in front of him. He looked at Sam, shuttered his optics and crouched, inclining his head in a bow that was more regal than submissive.

"I give thanks to the AllSpark for this miracle of creation. I express my gratitude for the gift of life." It seemed to Sam that the words were too formal to be spontaneous, perhaps the words to an old ritual. The Decepticon unshuttered his optics and opened his mouth in his toothy, scary smile again. "Even if it _is_ now housed within a squishy." Sam couldn't help but grin weakly back: that part was not formal or ritualised.

"Um…well, the AllSpark obviously approved, and all I can give is a human response. You're welcome," Sam said. Barricade inclined his head again in acknowledgement before rising and walking away. Sam let himself flop back onto the bed, sighing as Bumblebee lifted and swung his legs over as he pulled back the covers so he could lie straight.

"Thanks, Bee," he managed to mutter as he felt the Autobot pull the covers up around him, laying them over his shoulders with a little pat of his big careful hand.

Both Starscream and Bumblebee stayed watching as Sam's breathing fell into a slower but still regular rhythm, but then Starscream gave Bumblebee a nod.

"Now I think that I had better go and speak to Optimus Prime about a possible ceasefire, hopefully leading to a lasting peace. It is one of the conditions for sparkling production, as I recall, and I am the envy of my entire Base." His hand rose to caress the winglet, which had clamped its hands and feet around two struts on the Seeker's chest, locked its joints, and dropped into recharge. Bumblebee nodded assent, and the Seeker left, still petting his new winglet.

A/N: Okay, I am currently out of ideas for this fic, so consider it ended unless I can think of more to add. I'm sick of it dragging on unfinished, so help me out, guys and gals, and if you can't or I can't write any ideas, I'll mark it as complete and be done with it!


	16. Chapter 16

Possession.

Epilogue.

A/N: Although I make reference to The Fallen in here, in this story, due to the ceasefire and the AllSpark in Sam, things happened slightly differently to what happened in the film.

Seventy years later.

Sam was grateful that Ratchet had agreed to care for Miles here at the combined Autobot/Decepticon/Human "common ground" base here on the outskirts of Nellis. Here his plane-mad friend could observe crafts of all shapes taking off and landing, one of Miles' favourite pursuits before his advancing age had forced him to cut back on his plane-watching, and he also had a chance to see up to fifteen Seekers taking off or landing.

The three-way Base had been a human concept: each robotic faction had a separate Base of their own, and so neither faction would have to invite the other to their own personal Base, negotiations, debates (and arguments) could be carried out in a Base that was, to all intents and purposes, technically neutral, and designed so that human and Cybertronian alike could get about in it.

All the rooms and corridors had ceilings 40ft above the floor, and were large enough for several mechs to congregate in, but there were travelators and fenced off walkways to the sides, so if any humans were worried about being trodden on, they could get from A to B without worry. In offices and boardrooms, there were also similar walkways that led to the oversized tables, where an elevator either side gave the humans access to the table top where there were human-sized chairs and desks set out, so all sides could sit down and negotiate in comfort.

Miles was in a bed in the med bay, and as Sam approached, as always upon seeing Miles' aged, lined face, he felt a small twinge of guilt that the AllSpark had kept him looking like he was in his mid-twenties, despite being the same age as Miles.

"Hey bro," he called, and Miles turned his head towards him, a smile lighting up on his face.

"Sam," he said. "It's good to see you, and thanks for arranging for a room with a view. Now that my legs aren't so good, this is the first time I've been able to plane watch in months!" Knowing that Miles' body was slowly failing him, and that Miles would likely be dead before the year was out, Sam swallowed the lump forming in his throat at Miles' light-hearted comment. He reached over and took Miles' fragile-feeling hand in his own. Then Miles saw Sam zone out, and he picked up the mike by his bed.

"Ratchet, Sam's zoning out again."

Unable to keep the secret from his 'bro' for more than two years, Sam had, swearing him to secrecy, told Miles about the Autobots and Decepticons, something that had proved useful when Megatron had been brought back to life by a new influx of Decepticons, and had brought The Fallen with him. He had continued to update Miles on what was happening, and Miles knew all about the AllSpark being in Sam, and the things it could do.

The Fallen had, of course, broadcast the existence of the Cybertronian race to the world, albeit in a negative manner, so everybody knew about them. Once Optimus had vanquished The Fallen, Sam had tried to negotiate with Megatron, tried to give him a chance to put aside his ambitions and negotiate with Humanity. When he had refused, the AllSpark had been forced to act, by removing the life the silver overlord had had restored by the Shard. This time his body had been entombed in glass before once again being consigned to the void of the Laurentian Abyss.

Sam had found he had very little say in what the AllSpark did through him. It never forced him to do things he found unpleasant, but neither did it help him grant every wish or desire that it might be able to. More and more, however, it would communicate with him, and at such times, he would zone out. Ratchet had asked that whenever this happened, that someone contact him in case he was needed. This was one of those times.

Ratchet came hurrying through, just as Sam came out of his trance. He smiled, whatever the AllSpark had said was obviously welcome.

"Miles, you know how the AllSpark energy let me change my parents, and later Mikaela, into robots when they were close to death?" he asked. It had also changed Will and Sarah Lennox, and Robert and Monique Epps too, but as Miles hadn't known them that well, Sam had not told him. The changing of Mikaela, Sarah, Monique and Judy had given Sam some hope that the job of repopulating the Cybertronian race would not be down to him and the AllSpark alone, plus it was another way of creating new robots, adult as well as young. However, Sam had found who was changed was down to the AllSpark: it had chosen not to change one of the ailing Military generals who had asked, much to the Military's disgust.

"Yeah?" Miles asked.

"Well, the AllSpark has said it can do the same for you, if that's what you want," he told him. Miles' mouth dropped open.

"It would?" he asked. He grinned. "Gee, thanks! Any chance of asking it for a flying body?" Sam zoned out again for another second, then refocused, turning to Ratchet.

"Can you call Starscream or one of the other Seekers in?" he asked. "The AllSpark needs a Seeker pattern." He turned to Miles as Ratchet's optics dimmed as he commed Sam's Seeker-Guardian. "It doesn't seem to object to your request."

"Cool!" Miles replied, watching the door intently until Starscream, his half-sized younglings flanking him, walked in. The Command Trine, once the peace had been brokered, had asked the AllSpark for –and been granted – two younglings apiece. Between Ratchet the Autobot medic, Cliffjumper the craftsmech who had turned soldier, and Doctor Syn the Decepticon who was both medic and craftsmech, they had turned out enough winglet bodies for the purpose, and had immediately started working on the half-sized Seeker bodies they knew the small ones would one day need.

Starscream's pair were both in their new bodies, but only Thundercracker's first had been moved into his, while Skywarp was choosing to keep both of his sparklings at the winglet stage a little longer. This made more sense than it seemed at first, for the three bigger and three smaller ones made up a trine apiece, the configuration Seekers of all ages preferred.

Starscream looked at Ratchet queryingly, who said "He asked for you," and nodded towards Sam. The Seeker nodded to Miles and then to Sam.

"You rang, sir?" he asked mock-sarcastically, in a good imitation of a English upper-crust accent. Sam grinned: Starscream and he, after seventy years of close association, had a very casual, and friendly, relationship.

"Hi, Starscream, this is Miles, the AllSpark's agreed to make him into a Seeker. Miles, meet Starscream, he's gonna provide the pattern for your new body."

"Hi there," Miles grinned up at the big Seeker, and Sam reflected that not many people could look so relaxed with someone of Starscream's size towering over them, but Miles was doing it.

"Greetings, human," Starscream said. He looked at Sam. "So, what will my fee be for this?" At Sam's startled look, he shutter-winked one optic as he said "Well, if it's my pattern you're using, don't human laws say something about royalties for using the design?" The Seeker paused, noting Miles' grin beginning to falter, and said "I know,Miles, how about you come and help give me a polish once you're used to your new form? After all, you will need to learn a little about Seeker anatomy to look after your own, and this will be an excellent opportunity to start teaching you."

Sam shot Starscream a look, making a mental note to himself to warn Miles what Seekers were like, and what polishing might very well lead to. He decided that Starscream should also be warned that Miles would have almost ninety years of human opinion and human prejudice in relation to male-on-male sexual relationships to rid himself of. Sam knew Miles would likely adapt: his adopted bro had always been very adaptable, his mind staying flexible even as his body had stiffened with age, but he figured a good amount of time might make the transition less traumatic for Miles. He was already going to need to get used to having a Seeker body: let him deal with that before learning to deal with what else being a Seeker entailed.

Sam beckoned over Ratchet. "Unless you want the bed flattened by several tons of new Seeker, can we move Miles to somewhere that has the room he'll need?" Ratchet nodded, and carefully picked Miles up in gentle metal hands as Sam, under his instruction, removed the various needles and tubes Miles was connected to. Ratchet quickly carried the frail human over to a Seeker-sized berth, then picked Sam up and put him next to his friend. He beckoned Starscream over, who complied, his young offspring trailing alongside him, optics wide with curiosity.

"Miles, are you ready?" Sam asked.

"As ready as I'll ever be, bro, go for it," Miles said.

Sam put one hand on Miles and reached the other out towards Starscream, who crouched and reached out with one arm, so Sam could put his palm flat on the Seeker's forearm. Sam glowed blue, then the blue glow spread out along each of Sam's arms, outlining Starscream's form and enveloping Miles in a searing blue opaque light that shone and throbbed and flickered as it swelled and rippled with bright light.

When the light had subsided, Sam realized that there was something not quite right about this. Miles was indeed a Seeker, but one no larger than the winglet form he had first energized. Sam swore luridly, sitting down as the familiar exhaustion swept over him. He had found that he could, in the end create the bodies for the new Cybertronians if needed: the AllSpark took the requisite elements from the environment around him, which was why the berth he was on was solid metal and weighed several tons, it had been assumed the AllSpark could make Miles' body from that. He had used the same procedure to create the bodies for his parents, and for Mikaela, and the Lennoxes, and Epps and his wife, and they had turned out as adults, so what had gone wrong?

"Uh, Miles buddy? You're a flyer, but I don't know why, but you're in an infant Seeker body. Sorry," he said, spreading his arms helplessly. "The AllSpark's made adult grounder bodies before, I don't know why it hasn't given you an adult body too."

Starscream bent by the berth, and picked the little Seeker up, holding Miles against his body carefully. "I have a theory about that." Starscream said, and Sam turned to look at him, for Starscream, as a Guardian and a Seeker, might well have an insight that Sam as a human and the AllSpark's vessel, might not. At Sam's querying look, Starscream continued.

"Getting an adult Seeker into the air in order to teach it to fly would be awkward. As you know, we train our own younglings by carrying them up in our arms and throwing them between each other. That would be impossible if Miles were full sized. Being a Seeker, he needs to fly to keep healthy and sane. Perhaps the AllSpark realizes this, and has created him as a winglet for this reason. He can be transferred into a bigger body later, once he knows what he needs to know."

"It's okay, Sam, at least I'll still get to fly like this. And I can still polish Starscream like I said I would," Miles piped up. His new voice was not so different from when he had been a human. Sam was relieved to note that Miles seemed to have been left with an adult mind. Starscream gave Miles a brief nuzzle.

"Of course you can, Miles, and in return I'll polish you," he said. Sam realized at that moment that the AllSpark had also relieved him of the task of explaining to Miles what Seekers did after polishing: winglet Seekers tended to be sent into recharge by polishing. Sam had seen Starscream and his wingbrothers get theirs to rest using this tactic, and Miles could learn by watching the Command Trine during leisure time what polishing did to adult Seekers. Sam grinned. That would be an education for Miles, and certainly give him the time he'd need to get used to it! It seemed that the AllSpark had known exactly what it was doing by making Miles, in body at least, a winglet.

"I'll put another adult body on the 'to-make' list," Ratchet said. "Miles, I'll get you a small cube for energon, you'll need it, I think mentally at least you're too old for a bottle."

"And then I can teach you to walk in this body, and then we'll give you a flying lesson," Starscream said.

"Cool," Miles said, then turned to look at Sam. "Will you always be a human, Sam? It seems a bit unfair that you have to stay as a human while everyone else you know becomes a robot."

"Oh, I don't have to stay human, Miles, the AllSpark has let me know that, but I have chosen to for now by choice. It's more convenient at the moment, for liaising with other humans on your behalf," he said. "One day, humans may be comfortable enough with Cybertronians that they don't need to be reassured by having a human go-between to be sure human interests will still be asserted." He smiled.

"When that day comes, I'll be ready to join you all."

A/N: Thank you to everybody who sent in ideas: to end this one I used an idea submitted by DitzyMusicLover, but some of the ideas I have received have piqued my interest so much that a sequel, using some of them, may be forthcoming. Once again, if used, ideas will be credited to the relevant person.


End file.
